Canada looking at closer trade ties with Mercosur

Following a meeting last week in Asunción with Paraguay's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada's Minister of International Trade, Ed Fast, announced that Canada and the members of Mercosur - Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay - were moving forward with exploratory discussions to enhance their trade relationship.

"I am hopeful that these exploratory discussions will help us enhance our economic ties with Mercosur, the largest common market in South America," said Minister Fast. "Although we are in the early stages of these discussions, we know there are potential commercial opportunities in this market that are worthy of further dialogue."

Mercosur offers a number of trade opportunitie, particularly in the areas of aerospace, life sciences, infrastructure, information and communications technology, clean technology, mining, and oil and gas.

Created in 1991, Mercosur represents a market of nearly 250 million consumers and accounts for almost three quarters of all economic activity in South America.

In 2010, bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and the Mercosur countries reached $7.9 billion, which represents an increase of about 150 percent from 10 years earlier.

Inauguration of improvements to Blue Water Bridge Canadian Plaza

Officials from the Federal Government and the bridge authority joined with community leaders and border agency representatives to celebrate the completion of improvements at the Blue Water Bridge, one of the country's busiest cross-border bridges.

Improvements to the Canadian Plaza are the result of a joint effort by the Government of Canada and Blue Water Bridge Canada, each of which has contributed up to $10 million to this major project.

The work involved widening the plaza to accommodate the widening of Highway 402. It also included constructing new Canada Border Services Agency inspection booths and installing a dynamic messaging system to provide real-time information to commercial and passenger traffic.

New storm water management pumping stations and improved communications, lighting and electrical systems have also been completed.

Federal funding for this project came from the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund. The much-needed stimulus will help reduce traffic congestion, facilitate local border crossings, and complement recent and planned investments by the U.S. on its side of the border.

With approximately 5,000 commercial vehicles crossing the bridge daily, it is Canada's second-busiest international commercial crossing for trucks and is the third busiest for total vehicles. This crossing is a key component of the Ontario-Quebec Continental Gateway and Trade Corridor.

Korea getting closer to restoring access to Canadian beef

Canadian officials announced a breakthrough in restoring access to the South Korean beef market. Canada and South Korea are working to finalize a science based agreement to export Canadian beef, under 30 months of age, back into South Korea - the last key Asian market still imposing a trade ban on Canadian beef.

Canada and South Korea have resolved technical issues and will continue to collaborate until the commercially viable agreement is fully implemented.

South Korea will begin its domestic process of submitting the proposed import health requirements, which includes public consultations and legislative approval, on June 28. Canadian and South Korean officials will continue to work closely to ensure the remaining elements of the process are completed.

The Canadian Beef Export Federation estimates that this agreement could mean more than $30 million for Canadian producers by 2015. In 2002, South Korea was Canada's fourth biggest beef market and remains a key market for the Canadian agriculture sector.

After Canada's numerous attempts to negotiate access to South Korea for Canadian beef, Canada requested the establishment of a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel in August 2009 but continued to negotiate a possible bilateral settlement that would provide commercially viable access to South Korea.

With the proposed, commercially viable technical agreement achieved with South Korea, Canada will formally request a suspension of the ongoing WTO Panel proceedings once South Korea submits the import health requirements for public consultation on June 28, 2011, with remaining steps to take place in the coming months.

Reminder: Strict measures now in force for goods contaminated with soil

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued a Customs Notice to confirm that implementation of a strengthened commercial importation process respecting goods contaminated with soil and/or related matter began February 1, 2011.

CBSA reminds all parties that goods contaminated with soil are not admissible into Canada. Non-compliant goods will be refused entry and ordered removed from Canada at the first point of arrival under the authority of the Plant Protection Act and the Health of Animals Act.

Some rare exceptions for cleaning the contamination after arrival may be granted, under rigorous conditions.

Whether the goods are returned or cleaned in Canada, all additional costs will be at the expense of the importer.

For additional information see Customs Notice CN11-001: Implementation of the Strengthening of the Canada Border Services Agency's Procedure Respecting the Importation of Goods Contaminated With Soil and/or Related Matter.

(This article was originally published on this site in February 2011)

Technical documents: Government memorandums, notices and decisions.

his 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 re: Canada Day.
• North Portal reopens for most commercial trucks.

Canada Revenue Agency

• Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Notice SWLN39 Termination of the 10% Additional Export Charge and Refund  of  Overpayments
• Excise Duty Notice EDN30 Tobacco Marking Requirements under the Amended Stamping and Marking of Tobacco Products Regulations.

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

• EICS Customs Brokers Message au courtiers en douane : Lifting of the 10% Export Charge (Softwood lumber)
• EICS/EXCOL Bulletin - Canada Day 2011 Holiday.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

• Message from CFIA re: Canada Day.
• Policy TAHD-DSAT-IE-2011-4-1 Requirements for the Movement of Small Ruminants Transiting Canada by Land Between the Continental United States and Alaska, June 8, 2011.

World Customs Organization

• Focus on the review of the Harmonized System. (pdf) It is now time to expressly think about the next revision of the HS Nomenclature – the 5th HS Review Cycle that will lead to HS 2017.

European Union

• Agreement between EU and Canada on equivalency in Organic Products. Respective decisions on organic equivalency follow long and intensive discussions between the European Commission and Canadian authorities.

United States

• U.S. CPSC Substantial Product Hazard List: Hand-Supported Hair Dryers. Hand-supported hair dryer without integral immersion protection presents substantial product hazard. [PDF]
• USITC 2011 HTSA Revision 1. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2011, Revision 1, is effective July 1.
• U.S. CBP CSMS# 11-000145 - HSU 1103 Changes to the 2011 Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
• U.S. CBP CSMS# 11-000140 - Export Charges under U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Act of 2008.
• U.S. CBP new/updated informed compliance publications: - Ball Bearings - April 2011 - Fasteners of Heading 7318 - May 2011
• U.S. CBP CSMS# 11-000139 - Updated ACE Ocean and Rail Manifest Implementation Guidelines
• USDA New Plant Protection and Quarantine email subscription service. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. [PDF]