Japan recently published a list of 21 proposed geographical indications for agricultural goods from the European Union, including cheese, ham, olive oil, sausage, butter, baked goods and jam, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 7 report. If the proposals are finalized, Japan will not “monitor compliance with product specifications for [the] GI designations in their country of origin.” The list was published July 7. Public comments are due Oct. 7.
Japan will accept U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sanitary certificates for U.S. fresh oyster exports, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said July 7. The certificate can be used for oyster exports from Oregon, Washington state, Connecticut and New York, USDA said, and U.S. exporters must be on the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List to meet Japan's sanitation standards. USDA also detailed further Japanese requirements for oyster imports intended for raw consumption.
Indonesia introduced a new regulation to improve the “effectiveness” of customs supervision of imports, the country’s trade ministry said in a July 7 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The measure, which takes effect Aug. 25, revokes previous self-declaration requirements and introduces new data reporting requirements, the notice said, including information on the type of good being imported and its quantity or volume. The measure will help customs officials “tighten supervision of imported goods,” an Indonesian customs official said, according to the notice. Importers who violate the requirements will be subject to sanctions, the notice said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service issued a report July 2 on eased Chinese requirements for imports of U.S. pet food, which will see improved market access and more speedy import licensing and facility registrations due to the phase one trade deal. The new measures -- which will apply to commercially processed, finished pet food -- also include a reassessment of Chinese retaliatory tariffs and a new tariff exclusion process for pet food imports.
Japan is likely to see increased demand for imports of biomass-based plastic bags as retail shoppers now have to pay to use plastic shopping bags, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 30 report. The fee on plastic bags took effect July 1 and will not apply to biodegradable plastic bags or plastic bags containing at least 25% renewable plant-based materials, the report said. Japanese demand for those bags is expected to rise as a “number of large fast food restaurants and grocery stores” begin to use them.
Hong Kong is advising importers of U.S.-origin goods to check with their sellers about possible trade interruptions after the Bureau of Industry and Security increased restrictions on exports to the region. Hong Kong’s Trade and Industry Department will work with “the licensees concerned to cancel the relevant unused licences,” the agency said July 2. “Otherwise, traders might risk themselves violating the relevant U.S. laws and regulations.”
Singapore recently implemented its national standards for e-commerce transactions, requiring businesses to list certain product information for goods sold online, a June 24 Hong Kong Trade Development Council report said. Product information must include the name, description, quantity, availability, details of the product and any associated taxes or import and export fees, the report said. The standards also extend post-purchase coverage through deliveries and include “product handling payment on delivery, self‑collection, proof of delivery and failed delivery protocols.”
India amended restrictions for certain exports of personal protective equipment, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said June 29. The measure sets a monthly export quota of 5,000,000 (50 lakh) for shipments of “medical coveralls for COVID-19.” The notice contains a list of Harmonized System codes for which the export quota applies. The amendment moved the coveralls from prohibited to restricted under the export policy.
China will apply most favored nation tariffs on all trade with Kiribati, China’s General Administration of Customs said June 30, according to an unofficial translation. The new tariffs take effect July 1. Kiribati is a country in the Pacific Ocean.
Japan is considering imposing antidumping duties on imports of South Korean potassium carbonate, the country said in a June 29 notice, according to an unofficial translation. Japan said it plans to complete its investigation in one year. The move came after a Japanese industry group requested that antidumping duties be imposed, arguing low-priced imports of certain South Korean chemicals are damaging Japanese producers, which have been forced to lower their prices, a June 29 report in the Nikkei Asian Review said. Potassium carbonate is used to produce glass for liquid crystal panels, the report said.