The following is a release from the World Customs Organization.
Below are the Classification Decisions taken at the last Session of the Harmonized System Committee (50th Session) in September 2012 : the classification rulings, the amendments to the Explanatory Notes and to the Compendium of Classification Opinions.
This release is available in its entirety at:
The following is from a 14 December 2012 news item by the World Trade Organization.
Mr Ricardo Ramírez-Hernández, of Mexico, has been elected the new chairman of the Appellate Body by members of this WTO institution.
Mr Ramírez-Hernández will serve as chair from 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2013, succeeding Ms Yuejiao Zhang, whose term as chair will end on 31 December 2012.
This item is available in its entirety at:
The following is from the 12 December 2012 edition of American Shipper.
With the U.S. government’s recent order to impose duties of Chinese solar panels, a group representing U.S. manufacturers of this equipment warned importers that tariffs may climb.
The following is excerpted from a 12 December 2012 news item by the World Trade Organization.
Panama has notified the WTO Secretariat, 12 December 2012, of a request for consultations with Argentina on alleged discrimination and restrictions in certain measures applied by Argentina to trade in goods and services.
This item is available in its entirety at:
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news12_e/ds453rfc_12dec12_e.htm
The following is a news item from the World Trade Organization.
The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on 17 December 2012, of the Dispute Settlement Body, which consists of all WTO members and oversees legal disputes among them. The meeting notice is circulated in the form of a document officially called an “airgram”.
This item is available in its entirety at:
The following is excerpted from a 10 December 2012 news item by the World Trade Organization.
The General Council today (10 December 2012) paved the way for Tajikistan’s membership of the WTO by approving its accession package. Tajikistan would have to ratify the deal by 7 June 2013 and would become a WTO member 30 days after the ratification.
This item is available in its entirety at:
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news12_e/acc_tjk_10dec12_e.htm
The following is from the 11 December 2012 edition of Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — After years of battling each other on trade issues, U.S. and European officials are contemplating a dramatic change in direction: joining together in what could be the world's largest free trade pact in an attempt to boost their struggling economies.
The following is excerpted from a 7 December 2012 news item by the World Trade Organization.
Recent consultations on new proposals have been constructive and pragmatic although some members fear that isolating some subjects could upset the balance that has been struck so far, the chairperson of the agriculture negotiations reported to the Trade Negotiations Committee on 7 December 2012.
This item is available in its entirety at:
The Proposed Agenda for the WTO General Council 11 December 2012 meeting is available on the World Trade Organization website at:
http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/gcounc_e/meet_dec12_e.htm
The following is from the 7 December 2012 edition of Journal of Commerce.
U.S. shippers could get some holiday cheer if Congress passes legislation by the end of the year that would suspend tariffs on materials and products not available domestically.
