SPECIALISED PRODUCTS

On 9 April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced the publication of a draft environmental assessment aimed at simplifying approvals for importing plants in growing media (PIGM) into the United States. Interested parties may submit comments on this document by 10 May. More

Safer States, a network of diverse consumer organisations and coalitions with shared environmental and health concerns, recently issued a press release highlighting on-going legislative efforts at the U.S. state level to prohibit or regulate more strictly the sale and distribution of products containing hazardous chemicals. More

Brazil’s National Institute of Technology, Normalisation and Industrial Quality has taken a number of regulatory actions in recent weeks – affecting such products as bike tyres, toys and motorcycle components – of potential interest to Hong Kong and mainland Chinese exporters. More

Brazilian authorities have announced the addition of 197 items to a list of foreign capital goods and information technology and telecommunications goods that benefit from duty-free treatment under the Ex-Tarifario regime, down from 14 or 16 percent. Separately, 156 items have been added to the list of automotive parts that benefit from a reduced two percent duty, down from 8, 12, 14, 16 or 18 percent. More