Category Archives: Trade Agreements

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BREXIT UPDATE: European Commission Warns Importers and Exporters of Goods with Possible UK Origin

By Laura van der Meer and Edouard de Nyary Comandini on Posted in Brexit, Trade Agreements
On 4 June, the European Commission advised economic operators to prepare for the consequences of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union on their imports and exports.   Following the UK’s withdrawal, UK inputs, including materials and certain processing operations, will no longer be considered EU origin for purposes of enjoying preferential treatment.   Whether a particular … Continue Reading

Trump Reconsiders TPP Stance, May Have Renewed Interest in Multilateral Agreement

By Heather Doherty on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Ahead of talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe scheduled for this week, President Trump told a group of governors and lawmakers in a meeting on Thursday, April 12th that the United States was looking to rejoin the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (“TPP”).  President Trump withdrew from the TPP in January, 2017, … Continue Reading

U.S. to Raise “Misleading” Food Labeling Rules in NAFTA Discussions

By Kathleen Cusack and Jennifer McCadney on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
The New York Times reported on March 20 that the United States was seeking to table a proposal in the NAFTA negotiations to limit the placement of consumer warnings on food packaging with respect to foods that are high in sugar, salt, or fat.  According to a copy of the negotiating document obtained by the … Continue Reading

Will the U.S. Re-Join the (CP)TPP?

By Heather Doherty on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On February 21, the final version of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (“CPTPP”) was released ahead of its official signing, which is scheduled for March 8, 2018.  The CPTPP reduces tariffs between 11 nations: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The economies of these nations … Continue Reading

Global Trade Flows Are Expanding, But Is There a Reason for Optimism?

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Economics, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Last Friday, the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, as part of its World Trade Monitor, reported that global trade flows – the volume of export and imports of goods – was 4.5% higher in 2017 than in 2016.  This is an important finding because it marks the biggest rate of year-in-year expansion since … Continue Reading

Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Final Deal Reached Without the United States

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Earlier this week, the remaining 11 parties to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations announced the conclusion of negotiations and that an agreement will be signed on March 8, 2018.  The parties to the agreement (rebranded as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, … Continue Reading

New Obstacles Emerge in NAFTA Negotiations

By Heather Doherty on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
As the fourth round of NAFTA negotiations were completed in Washington on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, significant new obstacles to the trade talks are emerging.  As a result, the fifth round of talks has been postponed until mid-November. Specifically, Canada and Mexico have rejected the U.S.’s proposals on the elimination of NAFTA dispute panels in … Continue Reading

Trudeau Turns-on NAFTA Charm-Offensive with House Ways & Means Members

By Jennifer McCadney on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
As trade ministers kicked-off the fourth round of negotiations to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement in Alexandria, Virginia on October 11, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to nearby Capitol Hill to meet with members of the House Ways and Means Committee in a closed-door session to discuss mutual objectives of a renegotiated … Continue Reading

EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement (CETA)

By Laura Siegel Rabinowitz on Posted in Trade Agreements
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (“CETA”), the much anticipated free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada went into effect on September 21st.  CETA is a terrific opportunity for global companies to take advantage of duty savings offered by the FTA as it  expands market access for the EU and Canada through comprehensive … Continue Reading

KORUS Withdrawal Threat Opposed by Congress, Private Sector

By Jennifer McCadney on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Dissatisfied with the inability of high-level talks in August between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyung-chong to set a clear path forward on renegotiating the 2011 Korea-U.S. trade pact – and frustrated with Korean negotiators counter-request for a study of factors contributing to the U.S. bilateral goods trade deficit … Continue Reading

NAFTA Round 2

By Paul Rosenthal on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Negotiators for the United States, Canada and Mexico wrapped up their second round of discussions concerning renegotiation of the NAFTA. While the negotiators expressed pleasure at the progress made, by all accounts the talks provided no new breakthroughs. Apparently, new texts in certain areas were exchanged, but no progress was made on the difficult issues … Continue Reading

Food Standard Controversies Looms Large in Potential U.S.–UK Trade Deal

By Jennifer McCadney and Laura van der Meer on Posted in Brexit, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
With Brexit on the horizon, UK representatives are reinvigorating relationships with key trading partners on every continent.  On 24 July, UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross launched a Trade and Investment Working Group to lay the groundwork for a trade deal to be … Continue Reading

Siemens Cracks Down on Russian Sanctions Evasion

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Export Controls and Sanctions, Market Access, Trade Agreements
Siemens, a German corporation, has announced that it will no longer deliver power plant equipment to state-controlled firms in Russia after it claimed to discover that Siemens’ Russian customer, Technopromexport, had diverted gas power plant turbines to the disputed territory of Crimea. The United States and the European Union have implemented sanctions targeting Crimea since … Continue Reading

First Look Into Trump Administration’s NAFTA Strategy

By Melissa Brewer on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
USTR Releases NAFTA Negotiating Objectives One Month Ahead of Anticipated Start to Renegotiations  In a next step toward renegotiating NAFTA, USTR has released a summary of the administration’s negotiating objectives.  Although the overall themes are no surprise, the summary provides limited additional insight into the renegotiation goals through tangible examples.  There is a continued emphasis … Continue Reading

House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Announces NAFTA Hearing

By Maggie Crosswy on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-WA) announced on Tuesday, July 11th that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “Modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement” on Tuesday, July 18th.   The hearing will analyze whether NAFTA has been successful for the U.S. economy and job creation, with a focus on … Continue Reading

Date Set for Provisional Application of EU-Canada Trade Agreement

By Laura Siegel Rabinowitz on Posted in Trade Agreements
Canada and the European Union have announced that September 21st will be the date that the provisional application of Comprehensive and Economic and Trade Agreement (“CETA”) will come into effect. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and EU president Jean-Claude Juncker issued the statement after the G20 Summit on July 8th.  The agreement will be “provisionally” applied … Continue Reading

Up at Bat this Summer:  Renegotiating NAFTA

By Melissa Brewer on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
NAFTA renegotiations are up at bat this summer.  In May, the Trump administration sent a letter to Congress that began a 90-day consultation period between Congress, the administration, and business stakeholders to discuss the United States’ priorities.  The 90-day period is set to expire on August 16th, at which point the United States may restart … Continue Reading

NAFTA: TPP in Disguise?

By William Reinsch on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
It now appears that after a good bit of drama, the NAFTA path is becoming clear, at least as far as process is concerned. The required notification letter has been sent, which means that formal negotiations can begin after August 16. Since Ambassador Lighthizer has expressed a desire to get moving, it is fair to … Continue Reading

Do You Qualify For Duty Savings Under the EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement?

By Laura Siegel Rabinowitz on Posted in Manufacturing, Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
The much anticipated free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada going into effect this summer is a terrific opportunity for importers to take advantage of duty savings.  The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (“CETA”) expands market access for the EU and Canada through comprehensive tariff elimination across all sectors of the economy. Under … Continue Reading

EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement Goes Into Effect

By Laura Siegel Rabinowitz on Posted in Trade Agreements
The much anticipated free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada going into effect this summer is a terrific opportunity for importers to take advantage of duty savings.  The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (“CETA”) expands market access for the EU and Canada through comprehensive tariff elimination across all sectors of the economy. Under … Continue Reading
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