The WTO has created a new webpage dedicated to the issue of quantitative restrictions, measures imposed by governments limiting the quantity or value of goods that can be traded. Such measures may take different forms (quotas, prohibitions, voluntary export restraints, etc.) and must be notified to the WTO under a new procedure.

The new webpage is available on the World Trade Organization website at:
https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news15_e/mark_11mar15_e.htm

The twelfth review of the trade policies and practices of Japan takes place on 9 and 11 March 2015. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Japan.

Associated documents are available on the World Trade Organization website at:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp410_e.htm

Australia:
Statistical Code and Duty Rate Changes for 1 January 2015

New Zealand:
Tariff Concession Approvals, Withdrawals and Declines Notice (No. 03) 2015
New Zealand, China Seek to Build on Free Trade Deal

Japan features prominently in the list of recent developments in the area of free trade agreements, with the landmark free trade agreement between Australia and Japan having entered into force on 15 January 2015. The agreement provides substantial tariff reductions set to grant over 97% of Australian exports preferential or duty-free entry to Japan.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, is rapidly approaching a new milestone — the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) at the end of 2015.

The government of Ecuador is working to define measures to replace the duties applied to Colombia and Peru for imported products since January 5, 2015, which are expected to be removed in the last week of February 2015.

According to Richard Espinosa, Minister of Production of Ecuador, the measures, whether tariff or non-tariff, will change how duties are applied both bilaterally and multilaterally and could take effect in late February.

Guatemala was endorsed by the president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, to enter the Pacific Alliance also comprising Colombia, Peru and Mexico. The Guatemalan president, Otto Perez Molina, said the support was expressed during the bilateral meeting between the two leaders in the framework of the official visit to Guatemala by Bachelet.

In this regard, Foreign Minister of Guatemala, Carlos Raul Morales, said that during the next summit of the Pacific Alliance, Chile will support for the nation to be integrated into the block and get the commercial benefits of that organization.

The total US trade with Latin America in 2014 reached $ 844,100 million of dollars, 2.5% more than in 2013, representing a new record. US sales to the region increased by 3.7 % in 2014 , reaching $ 408,199 million dollars, while exports from Latin America to US grew by 1.5 % and stood at $ 435,901 million of dollars.

This rise is largely due to increased trade with Mexico, which grew 5.5 % in 2014, with a figure of 534,484,000 dollars, the largest increase in Latin America since trade between Mexico and the US accounted for 63.3 % of total US trade with Latin America in 2014.