The European Union recently issued the following trade-related release (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):
Japanese and EU trade leaders noted their concerns with potential new U.S. tariffs on cars and car parts under a Section 232 investigation (see 1805240002) in a joint statement from Paris on May 31. "The measures under consideration in the investigation on autos and auto parts, if imposed, would have a major restrictive impact affecting a very substantial part of global trade," said European Union Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom and Japanese Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko. "This would cause serious turmoil in the global market and could lead to the demise of the multilateral trading system based on [World Trade Organization] rules. Both ministers also confirmed their intention to cooperate closely in discussing these concerns with the United States and call on other like-minded countries to join their efforts," the statement said. Those leaders also met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that day and issued a separate joint statement (see 1805310020).
The World Customs Organization issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
Vice President Mike Pence insisted on a "precondition" of a NAFTA sunset provision following an offer from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to personally help in the remaining issues of NAFTA negotiations, Trudeau said during a May 31 news conference. "I had to highlight that there was no possibility of any Canadian prime minister signing a NAFTA deal that included a five-year sunset clause and obviously the visit didn't happen." Such a provision is not "something that would ever be acceptable to Canada, or, I'm fairly certain, to Mexico," Trudeau said, adding that he offered to help in the negotiations because there were the "broad lines of a decent win-win-win deal on the table." The U.S. has pushed for sunset clauses as a way to more easily adjust trade deals.
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of May 30 (some may also be given separate headlines):
The World Customs Organization issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The Colombia National Directorate of Taxes and Customs (DIAN) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation on May 23, the GATF said in a news release. The country will establish a new center for trade facilitation that will issue advance rulings on "the classification, valuation and origin of goods prior to their arrival at borders, significantly reducing waiting times and trading costs for importers and exporters," the group said.
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of May 25 (some may also be given separate headlines):
The European Union recently issued the following trade-related release (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):
India, which earlier submitted at the World Trade Organization a list of retaliatory tariffs for the U.S.'s Section 232 action, now has filed a case challenging the action's legality. On May 23, it circulated a request for consultations with the U.S., the first step before a panel can be convened to consider the dispute. India points not only to the fact that countries are being treated differently, but also says that the Commerce Department is using voluntary export restraints and quotas to protect domestic producers. Both are against the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ( GATT) rules, India alleges.