Technical documents

Government memorandums, notices and decisions.

This page lists newly published government memorandums, notices, regulations and decisions. Clicking on a title will open the document (in a new window) as published by the relevant department or agency on its own Web site.

Canada Border Services Agency

• Message from CBSA: List of HS codes for NRCan's regulated energy-using products has been corrected.
• Customs Notice CN12-014 Amendment 11 to the Energy Efficiency Regulations.
• Memorandum D2-1-1 Temporary Importation of Baggage and Conveyances by Non-residents. Memorandum has been updated as a result of legislative changes.
• SIMA - Hot-rolled carbon steel plate originating in or exported from China - Notice of Initiation of Expiry Review.

Canada Revenue Agency

• Federal excise stamp mandatory on tobacco products as of July 1, 2012.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

• RMD-12-01: Pest Risk Management Document – Importation of Wood Packaging Material from the Continental United States
• Protecting Canadian Livestock From the Schmallenberg Virus. New import measures.
• Use of Trade-Marks in Labelling of Foods Sold in Canada. Act prohibits the labelling, packaging, treating, processing, selling or advertising of any food in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive to consumers or is likely to create an erroneous impression regarding the product.
• Meat Hygiene Directives: Malaysia, Korea (Republic of)

Canadian International Trade Tribunal

• Appeal No. AP-2011-027 Aluminart Products Ltd. Whether certain aluminum parts and products are subject to anti-dumping duties and whether the CBSA improperly relied upon "zeroing" when assessing the anti-dumping duties.
• Appeal No. AP-2011-018 HBC Imports c/o Zellers Inc. Tariff classification of a Snow Boogie® Astra Sled.

European Union

• Taxation: More efficient cooperation in collecting excise duties.

United States

• U.S. Census Bureau: Who Imported and Who Exported in 2010?
• U.S. ITA Request for Comment - Subsidy programs provided by countries exporting softwood lumber and softwood lumber products to the United States. [PDF]
• USDA Public Health Information System (PHIS) - Import Component. On May 29, 2012, PHIS will replace the existing Automated Import Information System (AIIS) and the Performance Based Inspection System (PBIS). All FSIS import regions are scheduled to begin using PHIS on this date.
• USDA FSIS Notice 30-12 (pdf) FSIS Verification testing on imported beef manufacturing trimmings.
• USDA Recently Revised Export Requirements & Plant Lists. Export Requirements for Canada. (Apr 27, 2012)
• U.S. CBP CSMS# 12-000153 - Harmonized System Update 1204 - Changes to the 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the US.
• U.S. CBP new/updated informed compliance publications:
  - Ball Bearings - 04/20/2012
  - Internal Combustion Piston Engines - 04/20/2012
  - Classification of Cooking Ranges, Stoves and Ovens - 04/20/2012

Global air freight demand up slightly in March

The International Air Transport Association's (IATA) global traffic results for March show that freight demand climbed 0.3% compared to the same month last year.

According to IATA, cargo demand was affected by the timing of the Chinese New Year. Compared to February 2012, March air cargo demand was significantly stronger by 2.2%.

Air freight markets are now showing signs of renewed expansion. Freight Tonne Kilometers (FTKs) were over 4% higher in March than they were in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Middle Eastern carriers had a 15.1% rise in demand, the healthiest performance among the regions, with about four percentage points of that rise attributable to Arab Spring-related traffic suppression last year.

North American airlines' freight demand rose 1.6% year-on-year. Latin American carriers' traffic climbed 4.9%, while African carriers saw a 3.9% rise compared to the year-ago period.

Asia-Pacific and European airlines saw their freight traffic decline 3.1% and 1.9%, respectively, compared to a year ago.

EDC forecasts strong growth for Ontario and Quebec exports this year and next

Ontario's international export growth is forecast to lead the country with a 9% gain this year and a further 9% gain in 2013, according to Export Development Canada's (EDC) Global Export Forecast.

The three key exporting sectors for Ontario are industrial goods (chemicals, plastics, fertilizers, ores, metals, etc.), accounting for 36% of the province's total exports; motor vehicles and parts, accounting for 32%; and machinery/equipment, accounting for 13%.

"Resurgent U.S. growth will be a huge driver of Ontario export growth this year and next. Double-digit gains in the auto sector, industrial goods and forestry products are all traceable to economic revival south of the border," said Peter Hall, EDC's Chief Economist. "Growth is being further augmented by fast-growing sales into emerging markets, a steadily rising share of Ontario's international sales."

Quebec's international export are forecast to grow by 7% this year and in 2013, the province's first four-year growth pattern since 2000, according to EDC's forecast.

"There is finally some real momentum in Quebec's international exports after years of flat growth and declines prior to 2011," said Mr. Hall.

"Quebec's export growth picture over the next two years will be driven by a variety of factors, including strong prices and demand for commodities, higher aircraft deliveries, and the slowly-developing rebound in the U.S. housing market."

The three key exporting sectors for Quebec are industrial goods (chemicals, plastics, fertilizers, ores, metals, etc.), accounting for 39% of the province's total exports; machinery/equipment, accounting for 13% , and transportation, accounting for 12%.

WTO continues to grow, despite Doha Round pessimism

In spite of the pessimistic opinions created by the stalled Doha Round negotiations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) remains the beacon of stability for international trade and new members join every year.

On April 29, the WTO welcomed Montenegro as its 154th member. Montenegro applied for WTO membership on December 10, 2004. On March 30, 2012, the country informed the WTO it had accepted its membership package. This is the final step in the accession process.

The WTO will also welcome Samoa, as its 155th member, on May 10. Samoa applied for WTO membership on 15 April 1998. On 10 April 2012, Samoa informed the WTO it had accepted its membership package.

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy said: "The accession chapter is now closed. The membership path is now fully open. I look forward to working with Montenegro and Samoa to help them become full and active members of the global trading system."

Under WTO rules, a country becomes a member 30 days after national ratification.

Self clearance customs kiosks to be installed at Montreal Trudeau airport

The Federal Government announced the expansion of the Automated Border Clearance (ABC) pilot project, which has been in operation at Vancouver International Airport since early 2010.

ABC is an innovative concept that uses self-serve, automated technology to process Canadian travellers returning to Canada. The self-serve kiosks are easy to use and do not require pre-registration by travellers or payment of any membership fees.

Building off the success in Vancouver, the pilot project will be moved to full program status and expanded to other international airports across Canada starting with Montréal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in June 2012.

To use the kiosk, the travellers place their passport or permanent resident card in the document reader, insert their completed E311 Declaration Card in the kiosk and follow the instructions on the screen. Once the transaction is completed a transaction receipt is issued. The traveller reports to a Border Services Officer for verification of their identity and visual authentication of their passport or permanent resident card.

Link: Automated Border Clearance

Technical documents

Government memorandums, notices and decisions.

This page lists newly published government memorandums, notices, regulations and decisions. Clicking on a title will open the document (in a new window) as published by the relevant department or agency on its own Web site.

Canada Border Services Agency

• CBSA investigates the dumping of certain liquid dielectric transformers from Korea.
• SIMA - Certain stainless steel sinks from China. Notice of Final Determinations.
• SIMA - Certain Potassium Silicate Solids. Notice of Termination of Investigations.
• Memorandum D9-1-9 False Description of Geographical Origin of Goods and Goods With Trade Marks - Tariff Item No. 9897.00.00. Terminology has been updated to reflect changes in the CBSA's organizational structure.
• Memorandum D17-1-4 Release of Commercial Goods. Multiple revisions, see memorandum.
• Message from CBSA - Changes to the list of HS codes subject to requirements of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) concerning energy-using products regulated under the Amendment 11 to the Energy Efficiency Regulations.

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

• CFIA will create an importer licensing regime - Imported Food Sector Regulatory Proposal.
• United States Confirms BSE Case -This finding will not affect trade between the US and Canada.
• Policy on the Use of External Laboratories for Export Testing. This policy outlines the standards that an external laboratory must meet in order to be approved by the CFIA to perform testing of animal samples for export certification purposes.
• Directive D-95-13 February 24, 2012 (5th Revision) Seed Potato Certification Program - Submission/Refund of Fees for Field Inspection. Revised to update the review date, as well as minor administrative changes. Information has been added to clarify the fees to be charged for separate farm units.
• Directive D-97-12 July 6, 2011 (5th Revision) Seed potato certification program - Bacterial ring rot testing program for field grown seed potatoes. Changes made during this revision were administrative in nature as a result of regular periodic review.
• Appendix 1 "Sampling time for stems: days after planting (DAP) before sampling, for some potato varieties grown in Canada" of Directive D-97-12 "Seed potato certification program - Bacterial ring rot testing program for field grown seed potatoes" has been revised.

Transport Canada

• Child Car Seat Cross Border Shopping - What Parents and Caregivers Should Know. Cross border shopping may be tempting, but when it comes to buying a child's car seat or booster seat for use in Canada, Transport Canada and Health Canada warn consumers against it.

Canadian International Trade Tribunal

• Expiry Review No. RR-2012-001 Hot-rolled carbon steel plate originating in or exported from China.
• Preliminary Injury Inquiry No. PI-2012-001 Liquid dielectric transformers originating in or exported from the Republic of Korea
• Appeal No. AP-2010-006 Komatsu International (Canada) Inc. Classification of rubber hydraulic hose assemblies.
• Appeal No. AP-2011-020 Canadian Tire Corporation Limited. Classification of a trampoline with a safety enclosure for use by children.

North American Plant Protection Organization

• DRAFT RSPM 37 "Phytosanitary measures to facilitate the trade of Christmas trees". Country Consultation, April 10 to July 10, 2012. North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO)

European Union

• The transatlantic trade dispute on "hormones" in beef comes to an end (pdf). Adoption of European tariff quota will finally bring to an end the long-lasting trade dispute between the EU, the USA and Canada on the use of "hormones" in beef within the framework of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

United States

• U.S. CBP announces IPR Interim Final Rule. Document amends, on an interim basis, the U.S. regulations pertaining to importations of merchandise bearing recorded trademarks or recorded trade names.
• U.S. CBP new/updated informed compliance publications:
  - Cane and Beet Sugar (Quota, Classification & Entry)
  - Classification and Marking of Watches and Clocks
  - Eyewear Frames and Eyewear
• U.S. ITA Antidumping review- Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Canada: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review - International Trade Administration [PDF]
• U.S. FDA strengthens international collaboration to ensure quality, safety of imported products. New report presents FDA's focus on global cooperation for product safety.

All food importers may soon have to be licensed

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced last Friday that it plans to develop new regulations that would require food importers to be licensed and have measures in place to keep unsafe food out of the Canadian marketplace.

The proposed regulations would include a range of tools and streamlined processes to help importers, particularly small enterprises, transition to the new requirements. A user fee is being proposed to recover the cost of issuing the import licences.

The CFIA welcomes input from all levels of industry and the public as it develops the new regulations.

Link: Imported Food Sector Regulatory Proposal