The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that on February 14, 2006, the USTR unveiled the results of a top-to-bottom review of U.S.-China trade policy at a news conference.
The Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release stating that the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body has found in favor of the U.S. in a challenge of Mexico's antidumping (AD) duties on U.S. long grain white rice and several provisions of Mexico's trade laws. (USTR release, dated 11/29/05, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2005/November/United_States_Wins_WTO_Challenge_Against_Mexican_Rice_Duties_Trade_Laws.html )
According the American Shipper, PierPass has said that members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) will hold a routine stop-work meeting from 5 p.m. Thursday through 3:00 a.m. Friday. As a result, there won't be PierPass truck gates at any terminals in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during those hours. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com )
Washington Trade Daily reports that South Korea's Finance Minister states that South Korea is likely to pick up the pace of resolving a number of persistent trade irritants with the U.S. in advance of formal free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations next year. (WTD, dated 09/26/05, www.washingtontradedaily.com )
The Journal of Commerce reports that PierPASS has shown early success in shifting Southern California port traffic to off-peak hours. According to the article, if cargo volumes continue to increase at less than 5% over 2004 and shippers patronize the off-peak gates, Los Angeles and Long Beach may enjoy a congestion-free peak season in 2005. (JoC, dated 08/08/05, www.joc.com.)
On April 28, 2005 the Senate confirmed Robert J. Portman as U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). According to a USTR press release, Portman states that Congressional approval of the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, China trade issues, the enforcement of existing agreements, keeping on pace the Doha talks to lower trade barriers, and ongoing regional and bilateral trade negotiations are all front and center issues for him. (See ITT's Online Archives or 04/26/05 news, 05042615, for BP summary of Robert Portman's testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.)(USTR press release, dated 04/29/05, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2005/April/Statement_of_Robert_J._Portman,_United_States_Trade_Representative.html.)
The Justice Department, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has filed a request with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit asking that the court overturn the decision issued by the U.S. District Court in Montana that granted a preliminary injunction to delay the implementation of USDA's minimal-risk regions final rule, which would, among other things, re-establish trade with Canada for beef products and live cattle under 30 months of age. (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/04/05 news, 05030410, for BP summary of the Montana court's injunction.) (USDA Release No. 0096.05, dated 03/17/05, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2005/03/0096.xml)
On January 28, 2005, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a press release announcing that it has notified the WTO of its intent to increase certain tariffs on certain products from all "column 1" countries because it has not reached agreement with the European Union (EU) over access to the European rice market.
The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release stating that it has asserted its World Trade Organization (WTO) rights and notified the WTO of its intent to increase certain tariffs because it has not reached agreement with the European Union (EU) over access to the European rice market.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the duties China will levy on certain categories of apparel exports (coats, skirts, knit shirts, nonknit shirts, pajamas and underwear) seem unlikely to satisfy the governments in the U.S. or Europe intent on protecting their industries from an expected flood of Chinese-made garments. The article states that almost all categories will have duties of just 20 fen per item, with several persons quoted as stating that the tax (which Chinese companies can absorb and/or pass on to customers) is just a political or token measure, and will do little to slow exports. (WJS, dated 12/28/04, www.wsj.com )