International Trade Reporter: Current Reports Index-Summary

REACH SYSTEM

See REGISTRATION, EVALUATION, AND AUTHORIZATION OF CHEMICALS (REACH) SYSTEM

RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING

– Energy, Mexico publishes rules on high energy consumption reports and efficiency certification, 1291
– Statistics, Census Bureau records system comments, In Brief, 847
– Toys and games, European Parliament approves strict technical information recordkeeping standards for toys, 15

RECREATION

– Online gambling

See INTERNET

– Toys and games

See TOYS AND GAMES

REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS (RTAs)

See also specific trade blocs
– Internet, WTO launches new online information database, 93
– Summit of Americas, Obama administration needs Western Hemisphere team and special representative to prepare for meeting, McLarty says, 391; Davidow says Pres. Obama to warn against protectionism at summit, 456

REGISTRATION, EVALUATION, AND AUTHORIZATION OF CHEMICALS (REACH) SYSTEM

– Compliance, industry group highlights problems, 780
– Enforcement, ECHA to coordinate programs with member state agencies, 645
– Exporters should provide documentation demonstrating compliance, Only Representative Organization member says, 320; advice follows incidents in which vessels were asked to produce documents, 350
– List of notified substances, European Comm'n publishes final list of chemicals deemed registered under pre-REACH rules, 1128
– Preregistration, Chinese trade group helps chemical manufacturers and exporters with process, 612
– Statistics, Eurostat publishes baseline survey to help monitor effectiveness of regime, 1000
– Substance Information Exchange Forums (SIEFs), ECHA publishes advisory notice on responsibilities of participating companies, 248

REGULATORY REFORM

– CFIUS review, final regulations implementing FINSA go into effect while Treasury Dep't issues guidance document, 8
– Country of origin, textile importer group asks President-elect Obama to reform rules as quotas expire, 48
– Currency

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 2378, S 1254

– Export controls, Obama administration should lead initiative on outdated system, business groups urge, 951; Locke and Gates to discuss Pres. Obama's plan, 1275; Clinton says Obama administration to use Scowcroft study in crafting updates, 1413
– Food safety standards measure to improve FDA regulation of domestic and imported foods possible, consumer advocate says, 411
– International finance

– – China and U.S. must work together to ensure strong and stable economic recovery, Geithner says, 732
– – Europe wants to work with U.S. to make major changes to world finance structures, Sarkozy and Merkel say, 69
– – IMF and other international institutions need reform to reflect rise of other powers than U.S., 750
– – U.S. and trading partners must address underlying causes of global economic downturn before assisting in recovery, McCormick says, 12

– Trade policy

– – Fair trade, House members ask Pres. Obama to resolve issues, 310
– – Japan and U.S. discuss recommendations from initiative, 79

– Trade preferences, Baucus (D-Mont) to introduce measure to ensure assistance given to countries most in need, 604; Grassley (R-Iowa) wants more dispersal of benefits and reciprocity, 842

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

See RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

– Emerging Tech. and Research Advisory Comm. (ETRAC), partially closed meeting, In Brief, 152

RTAs

See REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS (RTAs); specific trade blocs

RULES OF ORIGIN

– Bilateral agreements, Singapore-U.S. FTA changes, In Brief, 1133
– Country-of-origin marking, COOL program

See generally COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

– Modifications, input on NAFTA investigations, 1170; Pres. Obama issues proclamation, 1197
– Textiles

– – Australia-U.S. FTA modification, In Brief, 49
– – Canada implements NAFTA tariff change, 829

– Uniform rules, importers-exporters group to ask CBP to withdraw proposal, 313

RUSSIA

– Agriculture subsidies, WTO members should review, In Brief, 1203
– Air transportation, Pres. Medvedev signs measure on aircraft registration rules to harmonize with WTO standards, 380
– Beef, government may remove several U.S. plants from list of producers eligible to export, 1159
– Bilateral agreements, Pres. Obama and Pres. Medvedev agree to form cooperative commission, 483; Pres. Obama agrees to expand trade and investment through new working group, 917
– Customs

– – Border crossings, president signs law extending powers to establish sites, 1427
– – Brokerages, services rendered subject to VAT, 187
– – Duty regulations, government amendments seek to streamline procedures to match international standards, 419; president signs amendments, 1065
– – Kyoto Convention, pledges to amend national rules to conform, In Brief, 1203
– – Oil and gas, government drafts measure to amend regulations on oil export duties, 186
– – Payment procedures, government amends rules on duties, 1320
– – WCO, government pledges closer ties, 155

– Economic stimulus package, Prime Minister Putin discusses finance measures, import duties, and export duties, 379
– Export duties, president signs law to review some regulations, 1427
– Fishing industry, president signs amended measure offering tax breaks to fishery sector, 45
– Food safety, government proposes talks with U.S. in response to pork producers' complaints, 513; Russia insists rules better than U.S. standards, 542
– Foreign investment

– – Reserve funds, government bans investments in international debt instruments, 350
– – Strategic companies, government adopts new regulations limiting foreign acquisition, 1466

– Grain trade, Pres. Medvedev consolidates state grain assets to launch monopoly control of market, 418
– Intellectual property, government joins WIPO Patent Law Treaty as part of bid for WTO membership but uses reservation provision, 247
– Livestock and plant diseases, government adopts amendments to harmonize veterinary, sanitary, and phytosanitary regulations with international standards, 1359
– Meat and poultry imports

– – Kazakhstan, Russian authorities ban some imports despite plans for joint WTO bid with Belarus, 816
– – Trade policy, government officials pledge to refrain from new commitments, 16; Zubkov advocates support for major domestic poultry plants, 918; Skrynnik announces plans to limit meat imports by 2012, 1282
– – 2009 quotas, government decree designed to regulate distributions, 418; Russia to continue quota system over next 3 years, 1427
– – U.S., 5-year meat protocol addresses quotas for beef, poultry, and pork, 45; government suspends 12 U.S. poultry and pork plants from list of approved suppliers of imports, 218; government suspends imports of U.S. poultry from 3 plants for antibiotic residues, 418; Russian government considers talks with U.S. regulators on safety of poultry imports, 483; government limits some imports due to swine flu concerns, 574; Russia lifts some import restrictions, 646; Russia broadens swine flu-related import restrictions, 673; Kirk to travel to discuss pork issues, 707; Russia amends import restrictions on state-by-state basis, 817; authorities partially lift restrictions on some imports, 918; Russia lifts swine flu restrictions on imports, 1030

– Motor vehicles, import duties on cars violate bilateral agreement on WTO accession, EU says, 74; government extends import duty on new and used cars, 1390
– OECD membership, government reiterates pledges to expedite entry efforts, 247; government formally launches negotiations, 919; formal discussions due to start soon, 1096
– Platinum, government monopoly on exports, In Brief, 1160
– Seafood, government agrees to mutual inspections with U.S. regulators, 379
– Taxation, customs agency simplifies VAT exemptions for imported goods, 542; government issues new list of VAT-exempt imported equipment, 673
– Trade policy

– – Ukraine, government approves new rules to reduce imports due to concerns about re-exports, 74
– – U.S. relations, Special 301, USTR retains on priority watch list, 600

– Unprocessed timber, government delays enacting high export tariffs, 1427
– WTO accession, government reiterates pledges to join on own terms, 16; government reiterates pledges to expedite entry efforts while agriculture official opposed to membership resigns, 247; U.S. agrees to form joint commission to help government work on accession, 483; Medvedev reiterates interest in membership, 483; Kirk says progress depends on lifting ban on imports of U.S. pork, 645; working party talks show little progress, 708; government official says membership still priority, 709; U.S. and EU to join Russia in ministerial talks, 741; Russia indicates flexibility on agricultural subsidies, 742; Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to start joint negotiations to join WTO as customs union, 778; trade diplomats warn of more negotiating delays following sudden shift in Russian position, 815; Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan vow to push ahead with plans to file joint application, 849; Kirk criticizes Russia for blaming U.S. and EU for failure to secure membership, 878; high-level officials from proposed customs union discuss joint draft code and unified tariffs, 879; Pres. Medvedev pledges to prioritize accession following Pres. Obama's visit, 917; lawmakers approve measure to remove technical barriers to trade, 918; Russian authorities insist plans to pursue customs union bid remain workable, 1096; Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan agree to form joint negotiating team, 1160; Russia and Kazakhstan agree to simplify customs procedures, 1245; senior official says Russia still interested in individual membership, 1281; Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan agree on joint customs tariffs and customs code, 1320; government official concedes customs union bid could delay individual membership, 1359; Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus still working to find mechanism to join WTO as customs union, 1389; Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus abandon customs union plan, 1426; Belarus officials still favor joint accession plan, 1466