Hurricane and Heavy Weather Contingency Plans

As the U.S. hurricane season begins, NAEGA invites members to be aware of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Hurricane and Heavy Weather Contingency Plans. Most U.S. Coast Guard sectors publish continency plans as guidance for the maritime community in the event of a major weather event. A list of U.S. Coast Guard Sectors and their contingency plans can be found here.

EU Retaliation List

On Wednesday, June 6 the European Commission endorsed the decision to impose additional duties on the full list of U.S. products notified to the WTO on May 18, 2018 in response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum products. The list, which will go into effect beginning in July, will initially affect EUR 2.8 billion in trade, with a further EUR 3.8 billion to be implemented in three years’ time. The list includes 25 percent duties on red kidney beans and corn from the United States.

A fully copy of the list can be found here.

Mexico Retaliation List

On Tuesday, June 5 the Mexican government published a list of American goods that will now face tariffs in retaliation for recently imposed U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. Mexico’s Economy Ministry estimates the value of the tariffs to be around $3 billion annually, or nearly 1.5% of U.S.-Mexico trade. These tariffs will remain in place for as long as the U.S. continues to charge duties for Mexican steel and aluminum, and the list may be modified to include more products. Mexico is also currently in the process of filing a complaint against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization.

The list contains agricultural products such as apples, cranberries, and pork, which will now face 20 percent tariffs at the Mexican border. In addition, other products such as bourbon and cheese will face a 25 percent tariff.  

The full list of products facing Mexican retaliatory tariffs can be found here.

U.S.-Canada RCC

On Monday, June 4 the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC). As part of this agreement, both countries reaffirmed their commitments to strong regulatory cooperation.

The RCC, a forum for resolving or reducing regulatory differences, was established in 2011 to help provide for a practical approach in aligning the Canadian and American independent regulatory systems in a cohesive, efficient manner.

The MOU stipulates further efforts toward regulatory alignment and strengthens the economic partnership between the two countries. The full text of the MOU can be found here.

Xtend Soybeans Approved in Argentina

NAEGA has received information that Monsanto’s Xtend Soybean have been approved for commercialization and import by Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture. A copy of the approval issued by the Ministry can be found here.