Farewell to the NAFTA and Welcome to the USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC

After more then twenty-five years, the highly successful North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will enter into retirement on July 1st, 2020, as it is replaced and superseded by the new regional trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The NAFTA has been an important source of stability and opportunity for businesses throughout North America, establishing a system… Continue reading Farewell to the NAFTA and Welcome to the USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC

Canada’s Implementation of the Regulatory Infrastructure for the New North...

On July 1st, 2020, the new North American free trade agreement will enter into force. The new agreement is referred to as the “USMCA” in the United States (i.e., the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement), the “CUSMA” in Canada (i.e., Canada, United States and Mexico Agreement), and the “T-MEC” in Mexico (i.e., Tratado entre México, Estados Unidos y Canadá). In… Continue reading Canada’s Implementation of the Regulatory Infrastructure for the New North…

19 WTO Members Formalize Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA)

On 30 April 2020, 19 WTO Members issued a statement formalizing the MPIA, an interim contingency measure based on Article 25 of the DSU in order to preserve the essential principles and features of the WTO dispute settlement system which include its binding character and two levels of adjudication through an independent and impartial appellate review of… Continue reading 19 WTO Members Formalize Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA)

16 WTO Members Establish Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA)...

On 27 March 2020, the following sixteen WTO Members issued a joint statement declaring the creation of a Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) for allowing appeals of panel reports in trade disputes: 1. Australia 2. Brazil 3. Canada 4. China 5. Chile 6. Colombia 7. Costa Rica 8. European Union 9. Guatemala 10. Hong Kong 11. Mexico 12.… Continue reading 16 WTO Members Establish Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA)…

Canadian Parliament Passes Legislation to Implement the CUSMA

On Friday 13th March 2020, the Canadian Parliament passed Bill C-100, granting royal assent to “An Act to implement the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America and the United Mexican States” (the “CUSMA Implementation Act”). The legislative process was completed on a highly expedited basis, much earlier than expected, before Canada’s Parliament adjourned itself for a… Continue reading Canadian Parliament Passes Legislation to Implement the CUSMA

European Union Set to Ban the Use of Aloe Extracts...

On 4 March 2020, the European Commission published a draft regulation prohibiting certain substances obtained from aloe plants from being used as ingredients in food products and supplements. Specifically, the draft regulation proposes that hydroxyanthracene derivatives including aloe-emodin and emodin, a structurally-related substance called danthron, and aloe extracts that contain these substances should be added to the list of… Continue reading European Union Set to Ban the Use of Aloe Extracts…

The United Kingdom’s Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union Enters...

At midnight Central European Time on Friday 31st January 2020, the United Kingdom will formally withdraw from the European Union. At the same time, the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, which was passed into UK law as the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 on Thursday 23rd January and approved by the European Union on Wednesday 29th January, will enter into… Continue reading The United Kingdom’s Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union Enters…

Support for the WTO Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement Grows to...

On 24th January 2020 at Davos, Switzerland, the Ministers of 16 WTO Member countries agreed to develop a multi-party interim appeal arrangement based on Article 25 of the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding.  The countries are Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the European Union, Guatemala, Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Singapore, Switzerland,… Continue reading Support for the WTO Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement Grows to…

Canadian International Trade Tribunal Commences Second Steel Safeguard Exclusions Inquiry

On 15th January 2020, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal commenced a second exclusions inquiry (Inquiry No. GC-2018-001-E2) regarding exclusion requests concerning imports of certain heavy steel plate and stainless steel wire products that are currently subject to Canada’s steel safeguard measures (see “Canada Announces Provisional Steel Safeguard Measures” and “New Notice to Importers published concerning the Administration of… Continue reading Canadian International Trade Tribunal Commences Second Steel Safeguard Exclusions Inquiry

New Notice to Importers Published concerning the Administration of the...

On 31st December 2019, the Trade Controls Bureau at Global Affairs Canada published a new Notice to Importers (Serial No. 983) concerning the administration of the safeguard tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for certain imports of heavy steel plate and stainless steel wire for the period from 1st February 2020 through 24th October 2021. Further to the public consultation… Continue reading New Notice to Importers Published concerning the Administration of the…

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