GOV.cn reported on August 29, 2010 that Commerce Minister Chen Deming is defending China's policy on rare earth export control, stating that it will assist in protecting the environment. "Mass-extraction of rare earth will cause great damage to the environment, that's why China has tightened controls over rare earth production, exploration and trade, " Chen told media during the third China-Japan high-level economic dialogue. He added that what China had done was also consistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated on August 30, 2010 that a newly-released review of Panel working methods could strengthen its efforts, as well as its public credibility, while stressing that the overall conclusions of its assessments were not in doubt. “Science has confirmed that climate change is real,” Rajendra Pachauri stated immediately following the release of a report by the InterAcademy Council, "Climate Change Assessments: Review of the Processes and Procedures of the IPCC,” the seventh this year on various aspects of climate science. The governments that form the IPCC would carefully review the InterAcademy Council recommendations at a plenary in October, Pachauri said, emphasizing that those Governments would decide on what actions to take.
The World Customs Organization reported on August 27, 2010 that Kenyan Customs officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport intercepted 2160 kg of elephant tusks and five pieces of rhino horn on August 22, 2010. According to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the shipment of 12 wooden boxes was declared to Customs as fresh avocados heading to Malaysia. The WCO release also details the sharp rise in ivory seizures by Customs administrations in other countries worldwide.
Canada's Minister of International Trade Van Loan announced on August 28, 2010 that Canada and Costa Rica have agreed to work toward modernizing their existing bilateral free trade agreement. Minister Van Loan made the announcement following his meeting with the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Minister, Anabel Gonzalez. An updated free trade agreement could lower tariffs on goods and remove trade barriers in a broad range of sectors. It could also expand market access for cross-border trade in services, financial services, electronic commerce, telecommunications and investment, as well as secure access to the government procurement market.
In the August 28, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to investigate whether certain provisions accompanying claim-sharing and joint-reinsurance agreements in the marine insurance sector might infringe European Union antitrust rules. The EC states that provisions in the agreements between the Protection & Indemnity Clubs (P&I Clubs) within the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG) may harm ship owners and the insurers that are not members of the IG.
The Vice-President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton is in China the week of August 30-September 4, 2010 to attend the first ever EU-China High Level "Partnership" Dialogue, which is designed to address issues of concern and mutual interest through constructive engagement at the highest level.
The European Commission has posted the minutes from the seventh meeting of the EU-China Intellectual Property Working Group that took place on June 24, 2010 in China. The EU and China discussed issues related to patents, including enforcement aspects, patent applications and grants, etc.
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal has decided to consider on September 21, 2010, an appeal of the classification of X2118 TL Extrudate, X3100 TL Extrudate and X3110C TL. Criterion Catalysts & Technologies Canada Inc. argue that the proper classification is under 3815.90.90 as reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, not elsewhere specified or included, other than supported catalysts. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) states the proper classification is under 3824.90.10 as certain oxide preparations or under 3815.19.10 as certain supported catalysts.
In June 2010, the European Commission notified World Trade Organization members of a draft regulation that would modify the cadmium restrictions under Annex XVII of the EC REACH1 regulation (EC Regulation 1907/2006) to, among other things, restrict the amount of cadmium allowed in jewelry.