Panama Canal Extends Transit Restrictions Amid Prolonged Drought
Measures adopted to limit the number of vessels transiting the Panama Canal and the maximum draft of these vessels will stay in place for the rest of the year and throughout 2024, according to a September 5 Reuters report quoting the canal’s deputy minister. The restrictions were introduced earlier this year amid historically low rainfall levels in the region.
According to an advisory published by the canal in late July: “Effective July 30, 2023, and until further notice, the daily transit capacity will be adjusted to an average of 32 vessels per day, normally distributed among the Panamax and Neopanamax locks in the following manner: 10 vessels in the Neopanamax locks and 22 vessels in the Panamax locks.” The advisory noted that daily transit capacity may be further adjusted as necessary, depending on the water level of Gatun Lake, weather forecasts and vessel mix.
EU-US: Exchange on Section 232 Tariff Agreement
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai met with European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis on the margins of the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers’ Meeting on August 24, 2023. According to the readout from the meeting, Ambassador Tai and Executive Vice President Dombrovskis reviewed US-EU negotiations toward a global arrangement on sustainable steel and aluminum and toward a US-EU Critical Minerals Agreement, and tasked their teams with an intensified pace of meetings on these initiatives.
However, according to FRUCOM, with the communicated deadline of October approaching for the discussions of the Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminium (GSA), there is concern among affected industries in the EU and the US as to whether the current suspension of the Section 232 dispute and tariffs will extend beyond December 31, when they are scheduled to resume —affecting dried cranberries and peanut butter, among other products— should the GSA not be concluded.
The Section 232 Coalition of associations representing industries affected by the retaliatory tariffs held a meeting on September 6 with the European Commission’s Directorate for Trade, to underscore the importance of the EU and the US concluding the GSA. The focus should remain squarely on an agreement that will permanently remove the tariffs, rather than a prolongation of the tariff suspension.
EU: Adoption of Marketing Standards Concerning Nuts and Dried Fruits
On August 17, 2023, the European Commission adopted draft regulations revising marketing standards affecting nuts and dried fruits. These regulations will be applicable as of January 1, 2025. For a summary of the main changes introduced by these regulations, see the INC’s July 2023 trade news update.
More information:
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) laying down rules concerning checks on conformity to marketing standards for the fruit and vegetables sector, certain processed fruit and vegetable products and the bananas sector
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards marketing standards for the fruit and vegetables sector, certain processed fruit and vegetable products and the bananas sector, and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 1666/1999 and Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) No 543/2011 and (EU) No 1333/2011
EU-Australia: Resumption of Free Trade Agreement Negotiations
According to Reuters, a teleconference call took place on August 31, 2023, between EU Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis and Australia’s Trade Minister Don Farrell. This communication signals a resumption of talks between the two countries after Australia walked away from signing an agreement in July over differences regarding access to EU markets for Australian agricultural products.
UK-India: Free Trade Agreement Negotiations
A 12th round of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of India took place from August 8-31, 2023. India hosted the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Jaipur on August 24-25. The negotiations were conducted in a hybrid fashion, with a number of UK officials traveling to Delhi for negotiations and others attending virtually. The 13th round of negotiations will take place in September.
East Africa: Draft Standards on Cashew Flour, Peanut Flour and Macadamias
On September 15, 2023, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda notified the World Trade Organization of draft East African Standards specifying requirements, sampling and test methods for the following products:
- Cashew flour obtained from the milling of cashew kernels derived from the nuts of the cashew tree (of varieties of Anacardium occidentale) intended for human consumption.
- Raw in-shell macadamia nuts of varieties grown from Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla and their hybrids whose kernels are intended for human consumption.
- Peanut/groundnut flour obtained from the varieties of Arachishypogaea intended for human consumption.
The comment period will be open for 60 days from notification.
More information:
- Draft East African Standard on Cashew Flour
- Draft East African Standard on Peanut/Groundnut Flour
- Draft East African Standard on Raw In-shell Macadamia Nuts
Colombia: Regulation on Applications and Procedures for Pest and Disease Risk Analysis for Imported Goods
On August 21, 2023, Colombia notified the World Trade Organization of Resolution No. 8389 of July 12, 2023, regulating applications and procedures for pest and disease risk analysis for the importation into Colombia of animals, plants, their by-products and other regulated articles.
US-China: Bilateral Discussions
On August 28, 2023, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China Wang Wentao to advance US commercial and strategic interests, according to a press release issued by the US Department of Commerce. The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to deepen bilateral discussions between the US and China.
Secretary Raimondo and Minister Wang agreed to:
- Establish a new commercial issues working group, a consultation mechanism involving US and Chinese government officials and private sector representatives to seek solutions on trade and investment issues and to advance US commercial interests in China.
- Launch the export control enforcement information exchange, which will serve as a platform to reduce misunderstanding of US national security policies.
- Convene subject matter experts from both sides to hold technical discussions regarding strengthening the protection of trade secrets and confidential business information during administrative licensing proceedings.
- Communicate regularly at the Secretary and Minister level about commercial and economic issues and to meet in-person at least once annually.