Fresh, frozen, dried, pickled and smoked fish, as well as shrimp, fish sticks, and fish meal, covered by dozens of Harmonized Tariff System codes, will be banned from import if any was caught in the Gulf of California unless importers sign a document that says no gillnets were used, CBP said in a CSMS message detailing the scope of the ban imposed on Aug. 14 (see 1808140013). Importers will need to sign a document that certifies that "to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the fish/fish products contained in this shipment are of species of fish or fish products, or from fisheries, not caught with gillnets deployed in the range of the vaquita, in the upper Gulf of California waters in Mexico." The ban is due to an injunction from the Court of International Trade. Nonprofits that brought the lawsuit hope such a ban will force Mexican fishermen to reform their practices, because gillnets have strangled and drowned vaquita porpoises, which are nearly extinct.
Mara Lee
Mara Lee, Senior Editor, is a reporter for International Trade Today and its sister publications Export Compliance Daily and Trade Law Daily. She joined the Warren Communications News staff in early 2018, after covering health policy, Midwestern Congressional delegations, and the Connecticut economy, insurance and manufacturing sectors for the Hartford Courant, the nation’s oldest continuously published newspaper (established 1674). Before arriving in Washington D.C. to cover Congress in 2005, she worked in Ohio, where she witnessed fervent presidential campaigning every four years.
The U.S. blocked the formation of a panel that would determine whether the European Union has complied in the Airbus subsidies case that began 14 years ago. The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body will consider the request (see 1808070016) again on Aug. 27, and the U.S. cannot block the second request.
The ban on fish and shellfish harvested in the Upper Gulf of California in Mexico near an endangered species of porpoise is "effective immediately," the Court of International Trade ruled Aug. 14. The administration had argued that the regulatory process to create a certificate of admissibility, which involves multiple entities within the federal government, could not be done immediately (see 1808080005). "The Court discerns no merit in the Government’s suggestion that the import ban is not effective immediately," CIT said. "The Court reiterates that it is effective immediately."
President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Aug. 10 that a deal with Mexico is nearly in hand. Canada will have to wait, and he plans to put heavy pressure on Canadian officials to make concessions, because "their Tariffs and Trade Barriers are far too high," he said. "Will tax cars if we can’t make a deal!"
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, after two days of discussions with Japanese Minister for Economic Revitalization Toshimitsu Motegi, said the two sides "had frank discussions" on their respective views on trade and investment. They will be exploring "ways to fill the gap between their positions and to promote trade between the United States and Japan," USTR said in an emailed statement.
President Donald Trump said he will double tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum because of the movement of the Turkish lira. " Aluminum will now be 20% and Steel 50%," he tweeted. "Our relations with Turkey are not good at this time!" The Turkish Embassy did not immediately respond with a comment. The country is also facing potential removal from the Generalized System of Preferences due to its tariffs on U.S. goods in response to the Section 232 tariffs (see 1808060021).
Mexico's economy minister said U.S. and Mexican negotiators are making headway on NAFTA revisions, but declined to enumerate how many hurdles have been crossed in weeks of intensive work. Ildefonso Guajardo had spoken about 20 items being negotiated at the ministerial level last week (see 1808030004). "We started with a huge list of items to be closed, now we have been able to reduce that a great deal, and we are basically trying to do the best effort to close up. But still, there are things that have to be resolved," he told reporters Aug. 10.
After the second two-hour meeting in as many days with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Mexico's economy minister said the talks are going well, and they're working on all the outstanding topics. Ildefonso Guajardo was evasive about progress on auto rules of origin, a top priority for the U.S. administration, which wants trucks and cars to be counted as North American only if more work is done in factories with middle-class wages. "We're doing our best to do it as fast as possible," he said.
The European Union only accounts for 10 percent of U.S. liquefied natural gas exports, but European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said U.S. regulations are a barrier to faster growth. "The growing exports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, if priced competitively, could play an increasing and strategic role in EU gas supply; but the U.S. needs to play its role in doing away with red tape restrictions on liquefied natural gas exports," Juncker said in a press release issued Aug. 9. He noted that there has to be prior regulatory approval before each export to Europe.
Retaliatory tariffs for U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum were delayed again by India, the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted Aug. 8. The retaliatory tariffs, first announced in May (see 1805180064), are aimed at agricultural products, motorcycles, steel products and phosphoric and boric acid, and are aimed at offsetting the $241 million in duties India expects its U.S. customers to pay on its steel and aluminum exports. The tariffs were originally expected in June, but have been delayed twice. Many of the items already face high tariffs -- walnuts are taxed at 100 percent, fresh apples at 50 percent, chickpeas at 60 percent, motorcycles at 100 percent -- but the actions would add 10 percent more to many ag products, 20 percent to walnuts and almonds, and 50 percent more to motorcycles.