The United States has updated Anti Dumping and Countervailing Duties, affecting many products across the tariff. Import Control have also been updated. Changes have been made to certain Other Government Agency Codes (OGA). The following HTS chapters are affected: 02, 04, 07, 08, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 35 and 90.

India has made changes to various free trade agreements. For the India - South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), the India - Singapore preferential duty rates have been updated. India has also introduced new trade agreements with the Republic of Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), affecting preferential duty rates for various products across the tariff.

Sign up below, and you will automatically receive any new Trade Compliance posts in your inbox, the same day they are posted. Multiple posts in the same day are condensed into 1 email (so you won’t be bombarded by updates!) No posts, no emails. Pretty convenient, right?

Sign up here, and you will automatically receive any new Trade Agreement posts in your inbox, the same day they are posted. Multiple posts in the same day are condensed into 1 email so you won’t be bombarded by updates! No posts, no emails. Pretty convenient, right?

Japan submitted a proposal for consideration by World Trade Organization (WTO) members that identifies specific tariff lines coded by the six-digit Harmonized System (HS) 2002. Included in the proposal were product descriptions of energy efficient goods as well as draft technological and functional standards and implementation methods to identify energy efficient goods at custom authorities. The proposal will serve as a basis for future discussions to establish harmonized "Energy Efficient Standards" among Member countries.

U.S. Wine company E. & J. Gallo has triumphed over local French wine producers after discovering that these exporters were intentionally mislabeling their wine in order to command a higher price when selling to Gallo.

Did you know that we're on YouTube? Please visit our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ManagementDynamics.

Management Dynamics will be attending several industry trade shows and conferences in upcoming weeks. If you plan on attending any of these as well, please be sure to say hello!

According to a recent New York Times article, shipping giant Maersk has cut its top cruising speed in half over the past two years. In doing so, the company cut fuel consumption on major routes by as much as 30%, reducing costs. They also decreased their ships' emission of greenhouse gases.

In a recent AMR Research study, 53% of 160 global trade professionals surveyed claimed that they would be increasing their investment on global trade management (GTM) software in 2010. Some of the main reasons cited in the study for the increase include: to improve coordination of GTM functions internally; to meet government mandates; to meet security requirements; to protect the brand; and to control various costs.

The Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) has posted a detailed guideline manual regarding their tips for establishing an export management program.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is hosting a two-day program that provides an in-depth examination of the EAR. Co-hosted by the Federation of International Trade Administration (FITA), the program will cover the information exporters need to know to comply with U.S. export control requirements on commercial goods. They will focus on what items and activities are subject to the EAR, steps to take to determine the export licensing requirements, how to determine your export control classification number (ECCN), when you can export or reexport without applying for a license, export clearance procedures and record keeping requirements, an overview of the Export Compliance Management Program (ECMP) concepts, and real life examples in applying this information. Click here for more information.

The Boston Business Journal reports on the case of a customs broker intentionally misleading a Danish company into paying customs duties on duty-free items.

According to CCTV, China, South Korea, and Japan are meeting to investigate the possibility of a trilateral trade agreement between the Asian economic powerhouses.

Duty rates have been updated for China Free Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements. The Editorial Department of the Customs Import and Export Tariff of China has published the 2010 FTA and PTA duties. It changes FTA and PTA duties to the products across the tariff schedule and also updates HS descriptions and Consumption Taxes.

Changes have been made to conditional text and rates in the 2010 Colombia Excise Tariff Schedule. The products affected by this update are alcohol and tobacco. The following HTS chapters are affected: 22 and 24.

Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) will implement a GRI for cargo loading or discharging at US or Mexican ports. Effective April 1, 2010, the following increase will apply: USD 400/20', USD 500/40'. For cargo loading or discharging in Montreal, the increase will be: USD 320/20', USD 400/40’.

Maersk Line will implement a General Rate Increase for cargo moving between the US and Canada to/from Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea. Effective April 1, 2010, the following GRI will apply:

Import regulations for Chile have been updated. New anti-dumping duties on powdered milk and Gouda cheese have been established. Import requirements for dangerous substances classified throughout the tariff schedule have been modified. The following HTS chapter is affected: 04.

Canada has updated its Import Controls. Several products' Anti-dumping and Countervailing duties have changed. The following HTS chapters are affected: 17, 44, 72, 73, 76, 84, 87 and 94.

Argentina has made updates to its import regulations. New import certificate requirements have been created. New anti-dumping duties on coloring materials have been established. The following HTS chapters are affected: 32 and 84.

To further improve its services to the Black Sea, CSAV Norasia will start a weekly feeder service from Istanbul. Ports of call for The Black Sea Link (BSL) will include Novorossiysk, Russia and Poti, Georgia. Directly operated by CSAV, BSL will complement existing direct calls of the ABS Service, improving connectivity and transit times to the main markets within the Black Sea.

Although I'm not an ICPA (International Compliance Professionals Association) member, I am an animal lover and a coworker passed along the recent emails about the work ICPA is doing to rescue a puppy from Afghanistan. Special thanks to the ICPA for sharing this story with its members. Hopefully by posting this online, I can help reach their fund-raising goal.

The Story of Recon: http://puppy.earthserve.com

Recon is a rescued stray from Kabul, Afghanistan. Life as a stray is especially hard there, as the local culture does not welcome animals into the home and strays are left to fend for themselves.

Recon was taken in by his new family - a platoon of US Soldiers stationed in the area as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. After withstanding injuries & homesickness, these guys needed some comfort and Recon provided just that.

Taiwan: This is a rollover for description and preferential tariffs for 2010, affecting many chapters across the tariff.

US
The reporting unit CKG (Content in Kilograms) for Dairy related tariffs has been deleted. In accordance to Annex 11 of the Jordan Free Trade Agreement, additional tariff numbers are now eligible for the Jordan Free Trade Agreement, affecting certain chapters.

Mediterranean Shipping Company SA (MSC) will implement a GRI effective April 1, 2010:

STRTrade published this helpful summary article encouraging exporters looking to increase their sales to also remain compliant with international trade regulations, especially in relation to the new National Export Initiative:

FINDING A WILLING BUYER ONLY ONE PART OF THE EXPORT PROCESS: Exporters Looking to Boost Business Need

The Obama administration is launching a government-wide effort to double U.S. exports over the next five years as part of a plan to increase domestic employment and boost the U.S. economy. However, companies looking to take advantage of the new National Export Initiative to break into new markets should be aware that shipping goods overseas comes with potential perils as well as opportunities.

As part of the NEI, the federal government plans to increase its trade advocacy efforts, including educating U.S. companies about opportunities overseas, directly connecting them with new customers and advocating more forcefully for their interests. The NEI will also include a focus on improving access to export financing and helping to remove barriers that prevent U.S. companies from getting access to foreign markets. Only a very small percentage of U.S. companies currently export their products, and of those that do, 58% export to only one country. The Obama administration is looking to increase these figures in the expectation that doing so will also increase employment.

On January 28, 2010, the European Chemicals Agency's Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) adopted opinions on proposals for the classification and labeling of certain chemical substances as carcinogen, mutagen or toxic for reproduction. The RAC agreed that Indium phosphide (used as a semiconductor in the electronics industry) be classified as a carcinogen and toxic for reproduction; Di-tertbutyl peroxide (DTBP, used as an additive in polymerization reactions) be classified as a mutagen; and Trixylyl phosphate (used mainly as a fire-resistant hydraulic fluid) be classified as toxic for reproduction. ECHA will soon publish details of the RAC's adopted opinions.

EU: 42 denied parties have been added.

TSA members have announced the following Bunker levels, effective March 1-March 31, 2010:
$724/20'
$905/40'
$1018/40' HC
$1146/45'
$20 per metric ton or cubic meter

The USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service has announced the availability of credit guarantees for sales of U.S. agricultural commodities under the Commodity Credit Corporation's Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102). For fiscal year 2010, guaranteed amounts to the Central America region will be $30 million, to the Caribbean Region will be $60 million, and to Mexico will be $45 million. These guarantees are to cover sales of any of the commodities specified in the GSM list of commodities.

How have you managed your first week since complying with 10+2?

American Shipper magazine reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection will enforce stricter standards with products that contain metal. Numerous toys and women's hand bags have been pulled from shelves after testing reveals dangerously high levels of cadmium.