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May 29, 2012
On May 18-19, 2012 the G8 Summit was held in Camp David, Maryland, where member country leaders met to address major global security, political and economic challenges, including those related to international trade. The Group of 8 (G8), made up of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom, is an informal association of advanced industrialized economies which meet each year to discuss political and economic issues affecting countries globally. In their Camp David Declaration, the leaders of the G8 stated that "robust international trade, investment and market integration are key drivers of strong sustainable and balanced growth. We underscore the importance of open markets and a fair, strong, rules-based trading system. ... Recognizing that unnecessary differences and overly burdensome regulatory standards serve as significant barriers to trade, we support efforts towards regulatory coherence and better alignment of standards to further promote trade and growth." During the Summit, the G8 discussed a number of trade-related topics, including: The next G8 Summit is scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom in 2013. The Camp David Declaration is available online at: Additional information, including a link containing all G8 Releases, is available at:
On May 17, 2012 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner David Aguilar testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Trade regarding “Customs Trade Modernization, Facilitation, and Enforcement,” and CBP's goal of implementing a more consistent and harmonized trade process. According to Aguilar, key elements of CBP's strategy include: During his remarks, Aguilar also stated that CBP is currently focused on the creation of Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), the transition from the Automated Commercial System (ACS) to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), and integrating the Simplified Entry process with the Air Cargo Advanced Screening (ACAS) program, in addition to continuing efforts related to Antidumping and Countervailing duties, Intellectual Property Rights and Trade Agreements.
In a Federal Register notice published May 25, 2012 the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in response to various administrative appeals following a final rule that was published in early 2011 and to address other actions related dangerous goods standards which have taken place since that time. On January 19, 2011 the PHMSA made various amendments to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) in order to align it with the latest revisions to international standards for the transport of hazardous materials by all modes of transport. In this proposed rule, "PHMSA proposes to amend the HMR as a result of administrative appeals submitted in response to various amendments adopted in the January 19, 2011 final rule. This document also addresses recent actions taken by the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) regarding certain lithium ion battery-powered mobility aids (e.g., wheelchairs, travel scooters) offered by passengers for air transport. Further, this notice proposes amendments to the HMR as a result of two administrative appeals submitted by an appellant in response to a final rule published in the Federal Register, that revised shipper responsibilities related to packaging design variation, manufacturer notification, and recordkeeping requirements for certain packaging types." Comments must be received by July 24, 2012. The full text of the Federal Register notice can be accessed online at:
________________________________________ Tons News is compiled from a number of public sources that, to the best of Tons knowledge, are true and correct. It is our intent to present only accurate information. However, in the event any information contained herein is erroneous, Tons accepts no liability or responsibility.
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