Brazil, Colombia and Canada recently made antidumping and countervailing duty decisions on certain products from mainland China, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Aug. 2. The duty decisions affect a range of imported Chinese goods, and not all apply to each country mentioned, including vehicular natural gas cylinders, flat‑rolled galvanized steel sheet, unframed mirrors, carbon and alloy steel line pipe, tires and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.
Mexico recently updated its organic products law (LPO) notification to the World Trade Organization, which will eventually require most organic raw imports and bulk goods to be certified under the country’s organic standards (see 2106280051), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported July 23. Traders who export to Mexico can comment on the notification within 60 days of June 28, USDA said.
Canada recently released proposed changes to its livestock feed laws, which would represent the first major update to the country’s feed regulations in more than 30 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 15 report. The new regulations are expected to modernize Canadian laws to bring them up to date with “current industry practices” and “improve alignment with international standards,” USDA said. Importers, exporters, feed manufacturers, retailers, livestock producers and other stakeholders can comment on the proposed regulations until the consultation period closes Sept. 10.
Peru and Canada recently made antidumping duty decisions on certain products from mainland China, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 12. Peru began a sunset review of an AD duty order on certain Chinese footwear, which will “result in the continuation or the revocation of the order,” the report said. In addition, Canada concluded a review to update the “normal values and export prices applicable to certain carbon steel fasteners” from China.
Canada recently issued regulations restricting imports and sales of “composite wood products” that emit formaldehyde “above certain established limits,” the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 12. The regulations set maximum formaldehyde emission levels, which are the same as those in place in the U.S., HKTDC said. Third-party certifications of the product are also required prior to import. Canada also will require that composite wood panels and laminated products be tested “regularly,” and that all composite wood products be labeled before being sold in Canada. The regulations take effect Jan. 7, 2023, but certain requirements, including those specific to laminated products, won’t take effect until July 7, 2026. The restrictions also will not apply to products manufactured in Canada or imported “before the coming‑into‑force date” as long as records can demonstrate the date of manufacture.
Brazil added 359 items to its list of foreign capital goods and information technology and telecommunications goods subject to duty-free treatment under its Ex-Tarifario regime, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 8. The 276 added capital goods are classified in Harmonized System chapters 84, 85, 86 and 90, while the 83 added IT and telecom goods are classified in chapters 84, 85 and 90. Duty-free treatment lasts through Dec. 31. Brazil also removed 31 items from the list, HKTDC said.
Mexico recently amended notes to its tariff schedule to clarify descriptions for imported boys’, girls’ and infants’ footwear, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 8. The revisions change the descriptions for shoe sizes. Mexico issued the clarifications because it had not “formally provided size parameters to enable importers to properly classify their goods,” HKTDC said. Many of the tariff lines are subject to prices that “vary significantly,” depending on their classification, the report said.
Mexico this month extended the deadline for a measure that will require most organic raw imports and bulk goods to be certified under the country’s organic law (LPO) standards (see 2105120008), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported June 23. U.S. organic certifiers and exporters will have until Jan. 1, 2022, to certify under the LPO “or risk adverse actions by the competent authorities,” the report said. The measure was originally scheduled to take effect June 26 (see 2105040049), but Mexico pushed back the deadline after receiving postponement requests.
Recent mass protests throughout Colombia have disrupted the movement of goods and impeded bilateral agricultural trade, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 8 report. The protests, which began in April in response to a government tax reform bill, led to “major” losses for the country’s agricultural sector due to “road blockades and unrest,” USDA said. The issues are causing raw material shortages and damaging the country’s production and transport of food. USDA said that about 40 to 50 trucks of animal feed are reaching consumption centers from Colombia’s coastal seaport city of Buenaventura, down from the “normal daily requirement” of 250 trucks. Due to rising costs, the agency said, some shipments of feed grains are being diverted to other poultry and pork producing regions in Antioquia, Cundinamarca and Santander. USDA said U.S. agri-food companies that have invested in the Valle del Cauca region have “dramatically reduced operations.”
Argentina recently revised its labeling requirements to align itself with the requirements for textiles and apparel sold throughout the Mercosur trade bloc, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported June 7. The new requirements will take effect for importers and domestic producers on Sept. 28 but won’t impact retailers and “other parties” until March 31, 2022, HKTDC said. Once the requirements take effect, textiles and apparel that don’t comply may not be “definitively” imported into Argentina “unless the importer commits to correct the non‑compliance” and Argentina “issues an authorisation to adapt the label to domestic market requirements,” the report said.