Mexico recently postponed a planned tariff reduction on certain imported steel products, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 11. The country had planned a series of staggered duty reductions for the steel goods starting June 30, but Mexico delayed one of the dates to June 1, 2023, the report said. On that date, Mexico will reduce duties on certain steel products from 15% to 10%. Other planned duty reductions are expected to continue on schedule, HKTDC said.

Costa Rica recently enacted an amendment to its general customs law, which put in place new “trade facilitation tools,” improved customs procedures to stop smuggling and new fines, KPMG said July 5. The new trade facilitation tools include deferred payments, advance rulings and “accumulated declaration,” KPMG said. The country will also bolster its customs procedures to better “exercise control and inspection of trade,” KPMG said, and introduced a new $4,000 fine for certain violations.

Ahead of a meeting of the top trade officials of Canada, Mexico and the U.S., business groups from all three countries said each country is taking "steps that have undermined or risk undermining the benefits negotiated through enactment of the USMCA." The Business Roundtable, the Business Council of Canada and the Consejo Mexicano de Negocios did not specify what actions they find troubling. They did say that governments and business interests should work together since "[b]usinesses, workers, farmers, and families are navigating many challenges and risks, including rising costs due to inflation, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages."

Brazil, Argentina and Canada recently announced antidumping duty actions and decisions on certain products from mainland China, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 6.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Deputy USTR Jayme White will travel to Vancouver, Canada, for meetings July 7-8 with Canada's trade minister Mary Ng and Mexico's Economy Secretary Tatiana Clouthier.

Brazil will no longer require traders to include certain transportation-related charges for the purposes of customs value calculations, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported June 28. The country will no longer require the customs value of imported merchandise to include the cost of “loading, unloading and handling charges associated with the transport of the imported goods to the port of destination,” HKTDC said. The move is meant to exclude “foremanship charges” from the transaction value, which include charges for “receiving, checking, transporting internally, opening packages for customs inspections” and other storing and loading of goods. Brazil expects the change will reduce “overall import costs,” HKTDC said.

Canada recently announced final regulations that will place new restrictions on imports of some single-use plastic manufactured items, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 22 report. The regulations -- which will affect grocery bags, cutlery, foodservice ware and more -- will take effect over a period of between six months and 3.5 years after the June 20 enactment of the regulations, depending on the item. For example, USDA said, imports of single-use plastic ring carriers will be banned after June 20, 2023, but the sale of those items won’t be blocked until June 20, 2024.

The U.S. has brought another rapid response request, this time over an alleged violation of worker rights at the Teksid Hierro de Mexico plant in Frontera, Mexico. According to the parent company's website, the plant makes iron castings used in heavy trucks made by Volvo, Cummins, Mack Trucks and others. The owner of the company is Stellantis, the conglomerate that owns the Chrysler brand.

Mexico announced that it will examine whether the Panasonic Automotive Systems plant in Reynosa violated the rights of its workers (see 2205180061) under the provisions of the USMCA.

Mexico recently suspended import duties on 66 tariff lines to help combat inflation and food scarcity, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said in a May 23 report. The temporary duty exemptions apply to staple food items and basic commodities for food processing, the agency said, including corn, oil, rice, meats, poultry, wheat flour, sorghum and eggs. The exemptions will remain in effect for one year from May 17.