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On December 5, 2018, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued Customs Notice 18-22 Implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which announces that the CPTPP will be implemented in Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore on December 30, 2018. Additionally, the Agreement will enter into force for Vietnam on January 14, 2019. With the exception of a few agricultural goods, the CPTPP will essentially eliminate the customs duties on all qualifying imports into Canada from a country for which the CPTPP is in force (“CPTPP country”), either immediately upon implementation of the agreement, or through a tariff phase-out. At the time of issuance of CN 18-22, not all CPTPP member countries will have completed their domestic ratification process and identified an implementation date. As the remaining CPTPP member countries reach ratification and confirm an implementation date, a separate customs notice will be issued. The text of the CPTPP is available at the Global Affairs website.

On 12 November 2018 the Vietnam National Assembly officially ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (“CPTPP”). The agreement has already been ratified by Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore and it will enter into force on 30 December 2018 in those countries.

On 25 October 2018, New Zealand formally ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) bringing the number of ratifications to four. Canada cleared its last legislative hurdle when the Senate approved it on October 25 and Royal Assent was given the same day. Canada became the fifth to ratify when it notified New Zealand of its ratification on October 29, 2018. The Australian House and Senate also approved it and sent it to the Governor General who has given Royal Assent.

On 19 October 2018, the European Commission announced that the European Union and Singapore have signed three agreements, taking their political, trade, and investment relations to a new level. The agreements signed are the EU-Singapore Trade Agreement, the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement and the Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation. Together, they signify an important step towards increasing the EU’s presence in a fast-growing, important region. The announcement said in part:

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is moving forward and has gained momentum recently as Japan, Singapore and Mexico have ratified the 11-party agreement and Australia’s ratification is imminent because the deal recently passed both Houses of Parliament.  Canada is closing in on ratification as well.

On September 26, 2018, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published in the Federal Register a final rule [Docket No. 180910826-8826-01] that amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding fourteen entities to the Entity List. These fourteen entities have been determined by the US Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States and will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Belarus, Iran, Russia, and Singapore.

On September 1, 2018, the Canada Gazette published a notice from Global Affairs Canada stating that the Government of Canada is committed to fostering and strengthening Canada’s economic ties with its Asia-Pacific partners, including the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) [Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam] and is seeking the views of interested Canadian stakeholders on the scope of potential negotiations toward a possible free trade agreement (FTA) with ASEAN. Expanding and diversifying Canada’s trade with large, emerging markets such as ASEAN is a priority for the Government of Canada and contributes to Canada’s trade diversification strategy. The Government of Canada’s approach is one that puts the interests of Canadians and opportunities for the middle class, women, youth and Indigenous people front and centre.

With the ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by Mexico, Japan and Singapore, and the expectation that other parties will follow, we anticipate the agreement will enter into force by early next year. Although the CPTPP differs from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) due to the suspension of 22 provisions, most chapters of the new agreement remain untouched.  One of those is Chapter 3: Rules of Origin and Origin Procedures. Certificate of Origin, CPTPP, verification, ASEAN, ATIGA, Form D, self-certification, trade, customs, prepare, free trade agreement