ECONOMIC/TRADE ISSUES

U.S. and South Korea Reach Agreement on FTA Changes

13 April 2018

The United States and South Korea have reached an agreement in principle on modifications to be made to their bi-lateral free trade agreement. More

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U.S. Trade Preference Programme for Developing Countries Renewed

13 April 2018

The omnibus fiscal year 2018 spending bill signed into law on 23 March by President Trump includes a provision that, effective 22 April, will extend the Generalised System of Preferences through 31 December 2020. On the other hand, the spending bill did not include the miscellaneous tariff bill that would reduce or suspend import duties through 31 December 2020 on nearly 1,700 products that are not otherwise available in the United States. More

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CBP Finds Mainland Chinese Clothes Hangers Were Transshipped Through Malaysia

13 April 2018

In its second final determination in an antidumping duty evasion investigation under the Enforce and Protect Act, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has found substantial evidence that eight companies evaded the AD duty order on steel wire garment hangers from mainland China by transshipping them through Malaysia. More

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Formaldehyde Labelling Moved Up for Goods Made with Composite Wood Products

13 April 2018

Pursuant to a court order, the Environmental Protection Agency has advanced from 12 December to 1 June the compliance date (i.e., the import-by or manufactured-by date) associated with a December 2016 final rule implementing the formaldehyde emission standards established by Congress in 2010 (in title VI of the Toxic Substances Control Act) for imported and domestically produced composite wood products. More

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U.S. Announces List of Mainland Chinese Products that Would Face Additional 25 Percent Duty as Trade Tensions Escalate

13 April 2018

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has released the proposed list of mainland Chinese products that would be subject to an additional 25 percent tariff as part of the U.S. response to a Section 301 investigation concluding that mainland China is coercing U.S. companies into transferring their technology and intellectual property to mainland Chinese enterprises. More

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USTR Highlights Mainland Chinese Policies, Other Concerns in Annual Trade Barrier Reports

13 April 2018

USTR has issued its annual National Trade Estimate report, which describes significant foreign barriers to U.S. exports of goods and services, foreign direct investment and intellectual property rights protection as well as the actions being taken to address those barriers. More

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Some Imported Live Animals Get Exemption from Foreign Supplier Verification Programme

13 April 2018

The Food and Drug Administration announced on 21 March steps to make the importation of certain live animals less burdensome. More

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CPSC to Examine Safety Issues Associated with Internet-Connected Consumer Goods

13 April 2018

The Consumer Product Safety Commission will conduct a public hearing 16 May on potential safety issues and hazards associated with Internet-connected consumer products. More

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Safeguard Investigation Initiated into Steel Imports Entering EU Market

06 April 2018

On 26 March 2018, the EU unleashed its safeguard investigation into certain steel imports entering the EU market. By means of the notice of initiation, which was published in the EU’s Official Journal, the European Commission announced that it will investigate whether European steelmakers, such as ArcelorMittal and ThyssenKrupp, need protection from a boost in global imports. More

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Triggering of EU Law Imminent to Further Restrict Allergy-causing Substance “MI” in Cosmetic Products

06 April 2018

As from 27 April 2018, only cosmetic products which comply with a particular Regulation dating from 2017 may be made available by sellers on the European Union market. The law concerned is Regulation 2017/1224 updating existing limitations on the use of methylisothiazolinone (MI) concentrations in cosmetic products. MI has been used in cosmetic products as a preservative to help inhibit the development of micro-organisms. More

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