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Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership signed simultaneously in 15 nations

By 1 Min Read

On November 15, 2020, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed by China and 14 other nations — the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Brunei*, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia*, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore*, Thailand and Vietnam*) plus Australia*, China, Japan*, New Zealand* and South Korea. Many of the products for which tariffs are eliminated are already duty-free. [Countries with an * are also signatories to the CPTPP] RCEP was originally proposed…

US – President issues Proclamation to modify GSP benefits

By 2 Mins Read

On October 30, 2020, the President issued a Proclamation to Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences and for Other Purposes (not yet published in the Federal Register). The Proclamation: suspends the duty-free treatment accorded under the GSP to certain eligible articles that are the product of Thailand, effective on December 30, 2020, and modifies general note 4(d) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS)to reflect that suspension;modifies the Rates…

US – President issues Proclamation modifying HTS to implement USMCA and update or correct provisions for other FTAs and programs

By 5 Mins Read

On July 1, 2020, the Federal Register published Presidential Proclamation 10053 of June 29, 2020 To Take Certain Actions Under the United States-Mexico–Canada Agreement Implementation Act and for Other Purposes, which modifies the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) – as set forth in Annex I to US International Trade Commission (USITC) Publication 5060 (which is incorporated by reference) to provide generally for the preferential tariff treatment being accorded under the USMCA, to…

Philippines-Hong Kong trade agreement takes effect

By 1 Min Read

On May 12, 2020, the Philippines component of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Investment Agreement (IA) between Hong Kong, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) entered into force. The FTA and IA entered into force between Hong Kong and Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in 2019. According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), under the FTA, the Philippines will progressively eliminate and reduce customs duties on goods…

US – USTR reallocates unused 2020 TRQ for raw cane sugar

By 1 Min Read

On February 7, 2020, the US Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register a document announcing the country-by-country reallocations of 78,071 MTRV of the fiscal year (FY) 2020 in-quota quantity of the World Trade Organization (WTO) tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for imported raw cane sugar from those countries that stated they do not plan to fill their FY 2020 allocated raw cane sugar quantities. See the notice for country-by-country reallocations.

US – USTR issues results of the 2019 annual GSP review

By 2 Mins Read

On November 20, 2019, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register a notice [Docket Number USTR–2019–0001] announcing the results of the 2019 annual Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) review with respect to: Products considered for removal from the list of eligible products for certain beneficiary countries; decisions related to competitive need limitations (CNLs), including petitions for waivers of CNLs; and requests to reinstate/ redesignate products previously excluded from GSP…

US – USTR to hold hearing on GSP country practice reviews and designation of Laos

By 2 Mins Read

On November 19, 2019, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register a notice announcing a hearing for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) country practice reviews of Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, South Africa, and Uzbekistan, and the country designation review of Laos. These reviews will focus on whether: (1) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan are meeting the GSP eligibility criterion requiring that a GSP beneficiary country afford…

US – USTR announces GSP enforcement actions and successes for seven countries

By 1 Min Read

On October 25, 2019, USTR announced that President Trump is suspending $1.3 billion in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) based on its failure to adequately provide internationally-recognized worker rights. In addition, the President is restoring some GSP benefits for Ukraine following its passage of legislation aimed at addressing shortcomings in its intellectual property (IP) regime. USTR also announced it is opening new GSP eligibility reviews for two countries:  South…

President proclaims HTS changes for GSP and more

By 3 Mins Read

On October 31, 2019, the Federal Register published Presidential Proclamation 9955 of October 25, 2019 To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences and for Other Purposes. The Proclamation: terminates the suspension of Ukraine from the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, effective 5 days after the date of the proclamation, and modifies general note 4(d) and pertinent subheadings of the HTS as set forth in Annex 1 to the proclamation; suspends the…

Thailand – New Trade Control on Weapons of Mass Destruction Related Items Act to Become Effective on 1 January 2020

By 3 Mins Read

Pursuant to our client alert on Dual-Use Items last year, the Ministry of Commerce (“MOC“) has shifted its focus from revising and updating the Notification Regulating the Dual-Use Items, dated 16 October 2015, previously issued under the existing Export and Import of Goods, Act B.E. 2522 (1979) to the enactment of the new Trade Control on Weapons of Mass Destruction Related Items Act (“WMD Act“). On 30 April 2019, the WMD Act was enacted and announced in…