On August 18, 2020, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register a document indicating that the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) requests comments and will hold a public hearing [Docket Number USTR-2020-0033] to assist the USTR in the preparation of its annual report to Congress on China’s implementation of its obligations as a Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Due to COVID-19, the TPSC will foster public…
On August 13, 2020, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register a document indicating that the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) requests comments and will hold a public hearing [Docket Number USTR-2020-0032] to assist the USTR in the preparation of its annual report to Congress on Russia’s implementation of its obligations as a Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Due to COVID-19, the TPSC will foster public…
The European Commission launched a major review of the European Union’s trade policy, including a public consultation seeking input from the European Parliament, Member States, stakeholders and civil society. The Commission’s objective is to build a consensus around a fresh medium-term direction for EU trade policy, responding to a variety of new global challenges and taking into account the lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis. The consultation covers all relevant topics to the EU trade…
On 24 July 2020, the European Commission announced that at a meeting of the WTO Trade Policy Review Body, the European Union, backed by ten other members of the World Trade Organization (Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Republic of Korea and Switzerland), submitted a joint communication calling for more transparency in respect of trade-related measures introduced by partners around the world in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The aim is to…
On 24 July 2020, the European Commission announced the governments of France and Spain agreed with Airbus SE to modify the terms of the Repayable Launch Investment granted by them for development of the A350 aircraft to reflect market conditions. The announcement said: This means that the European Union and the Member States concerned – France, Spain and Germany, also known as the ‘Airbus Member States’ – are in full compliance with the rulings of…
The WTO announced that on 18 May 2020, the WTO Committee on Government Procurement received Brazil’s bid to start negotiations on joining the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). Brazil said it would circulate the necessary accession documents as soon as the COVID-19 situation allows it. The announcement said, in part: In its statement, Brazil said that it hopes to present its initial market access offer and to reply to a checklist of issues about its government procurement…
Global Affairs Canada published a notice in the Canada Gazette of February 29, 2020, regarding a public consultation on a WTO framework on investment facilitation for development.In November 2019, 98 WTO members, including Canada, endorsed a new joint ministerial statement in Shanghai, committing to work towards a concrete outcome regarding the framework on investment facilitation for development at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in June 2020. The discussions about investment facilitation for development are about…
On February 14, 2020, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced that USTR was issuing a notice in the Federal Register making adjustments to its WTO-authorized retaliation action relating to the Large Civil Aircraft case, which was implemented on October 18, 2019. The announcement stated that the United States is increasing the additional duty rate imposed on aircraft imported from the EU to 15% from 10%, effective March 18, 2020, and making certain…
On February 11, 2020, the US Trade Representative announced that it is issuing a Report on the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization. USTR states that this Report is the first comprehensive study of the Appellate Body’s record and it provides an in-depth assessment of the “Appellate Body’s failure to comply with WTO rules and interpret WTO agreements as written.” As detailed in this Report, the Appellate Body has strayed far from the limited…
On January 24, 2020, 17 WTO members issued a statement agreeing to establish a temporary system for appealing WTO disputes. They reached an agreement during the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The WTO members include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the European Union, Guatemala, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Singapore, Switzerland and Uruguay. Canada and the EU had earlier established a separate interim appeals procedure. The statement indicated…