The European Union extended countervailing duties on rainbow trout from Turkey after conducting an expiry review, the bloc announced in a May 25 regulatory statement. The CV duties will continue to be imposed on rainbow trout imports (1) live weighing 1, 2 kilograms or less each or (2) fresh, chilled, frozen and/or smoked: in the form of whole fish whether gilled, whether gutted, weighing 1, 2 kg or less each, or with heads off, whether gilled, whether gutted, weighing 1 kg or less each, or in the form of fillets weighing 400 grams or less. Duty rates range from 1.5% to 9.5%, with the highest rate applying to companies not listed.
The European Parliament passed a nonbinding resolution May 20 to halt ratification of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment between the European Union and China. The resolution said CAI ratification discussions have “justifiably been frozen” due to Chinese sanctions in place on the EU in response to Europe's own sanctions on China over its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang province. The European Parliament wants the sanctions lifted on all 10 European individuals before ratification can continue. The report also mentioned the deteriorating human rights situation in Hong Kong as a cause for European concern with regard to continued relations with China.
The United Kingdom's Department for International Trade launched a review of ongoing tariff measures against the U.S., which originally sought to respond to the Section 232 tariffs on British steel and aluminum. The U.K. wants to tailor any future response to the American tariffs to “UK interests,” a May 24 news release said. The consultation closes July 5, the agency said. In response to the Section 232 action, the U.K. instituted restrictive measures against trade in products such as whiskey, motorcycles and tobacco, but may be considering a change to “deescalate trade tensions,” it said.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended the general license for counterterrorism sanctions, granting legal aid payments to solicitors representing sanctioned individuals for their work in doing so, OFSI said in a May 21 update. The change to the license also removed a reporting requirement to qualify for the license, the EU Sanctions blog reported.
The United Kingdom's Cabinet cecretary, with approval from the prime minister, appointed James Bowler to serve as the new permanent secretary to the Department for International Trade, the agency announced in a May 24 press release. Bowler most recently worked as the permanent secretary leading the COVID Task Force in the Cabinet Office beginning in October 2020. The current interim permanent secretary, John Alty, is retiring. “I’m delighted to welcome James to DIT as we enter our next exciting stage," Trade Secretary Liz Truss said. "His experience will support our talented, driven department as we negotiate trade deals with key markets across the world, head the G7 trade track and encourage WTO reform."
The United Kingdom wants a long transition period to phase in tariff cuts for agricultural products in any post-Brexit trade agreement with Australia, Bloomberg reported May 21. Such a period, which could be as long as 15 years, would aim to aid British farmers. The U.K. and Australia in April announced an agreement to most elements of a proposed free trade deal and said negotiations could be completed by June (see 2104230072).
The United Kingdom should extend European Union safeguard measures on 10 product categories of steel imports for three years, Britain's Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate recommended in its Statement of Intended Final Determination May 19. After reviewing 19 categories of steel imports covered by existing trade remedies, TRID recommended the remaining nine remedies should be revoked. For each category, TRID conducted an “Economic Interest Test” to weigh damage the imported steel products are causing to domestic producers, economic significance of the affected industries, impact on certain geographic areas and likely consequences for the U.K. market's competitive environment.
The United Kingdom is set to implement a new tariff suspension scheme, giving importers the chance to request a drawdown or withdrawal of duties, the Department of International Trade announced in a May 20 news release. Companies in the U.K. or Crown Dependencies will be able to place their requests for the next month, the release said, and once a reduction or withdrawal is granted to a single company, all U.K. importers will be able to use the new rate. The idea is to "allocate suspensions based on the needs of firms in the UK and the wider economy," the release said.
The United Kingdom is recruiting an external adviser to point out new opportunities following the nation's departure from the European Union, Bloomberg reported May 17. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is struggling to demonstrate the benefits of Brexit, especially as a task force to identify how the U.K. can reshape its economy has yet to make a suggestion, the report said. Financial services regulation, changes to agricultural subsidies and clinical drug trial fast-tracking are all areas the government is looking to bolster with the help of the adviser, Minister for EU Affairs David Frost said. Additional areas of focus include subsidy control, procurement rules and freeports.
The United Kingdom is preparing to kick off negotiations on trade deals with Canada and Mexico with the hope of expanding deals signed in 2020, the U.K.'s Department for International Trade announced in a May 18 news release. Last year's deals secured tariff-free exports from the U.K. on 98% and 88% of goods to Canada to Mexico, respectively, the release said. The expanded trade deal will have a stronger emphasis on industries such as digital, data and services and seek to bolster British jobs in car manufacturing and food and drink. The Department for International Trade is calling for input from concerned individuals, entities and other stakeholders on what the goals of the trade agreements should be.