The Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand notified the World Trade Organization of the Addition of temporary precautionary requirements to the Import Health Standard for Sea Containers to manage the risk of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) for consignments exported from Italy until 2020.

According to the USDA GAIN Report “Japan to Create Food Packaging Materials Positive List”, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) is revising its approach to packaging materials and is developing a positive list for materials that come into contact with foods.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan notified the World Trade Organization of the Revision of the Standards and Specifications for Foods and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards).

The global macadamia industry today launched a critical, world-first research project aimed at providing strong evidence to support the role of macadamias in a healthy diet.
 

The European Commission notified the World Trade Organization of two drafts concerning the non-renewal of approval of the active substance quinoxyfen and etoxazole, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011.

The European Commission notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Commission Regulation amending Annexes II, III and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for certain pesticides in or on certain products.

The European Commission notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Commission Regulation amending Annexes II and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for iprodione in or on certain products.

On July 17, 2018, EU and Japan signed a trade agreement which will remove nearly 85% of tariffs of EU agri-food products.

According to a USDA GAIN Report, on July 6, 2018, China enacted additional tariffs on selected U.S. products as previously announced.