2013年10月16日水曜日

U.S. Export Control Reform: First Final Rules Go Into Effect on Oct 15, 2013

To refer press release of Department of State.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/10/215428.htm

Third Round of Negotiations on the Japan EU EPA

Press release by Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 15 announced that the third round of negotiations on the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement ("EPA") will be held in Brussels, Belgium from October 21 to 25.

At the meeting, discussions were conducted on areas such as trade in goods, trade in services, investment, intellectual property rights, non-tariff measures, government procurement and others.

Japan and EU decided to start EPA negotiation on March 2013, and had first and second round of negotiation in April and June this year respectively.
The next round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in the week of January 27, 2014.

2013年10月11日金曜日

China Imposes Embargo Against North Korea

My colleague in Bryan Cave International Consulting Shanghai office posted the useful & interesting article regarding China's embargo list to North Korea.  Here is the one. 
http://www.bryancaveconsulting.com/uploads/files/BCIC_Asia%20Trade%20Bulletin%20Sep-%20Oct%20%202013.pdf


China and other UN member states had, in the past, refused to support a complete embargo against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK”). The United Nations said that had made it hard for its regulatory agencies to determine whether the Chinese government was imposing substantive sanctions on the DPRK.  Since the DPRK conducted its third nuclear test in February 2013, China has adjusted its export policies toward North Korea, including a complete ban on the export of dangerous goods.

For the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and according to the Foreign Trade Law, China published an export embargo list of dual use items to the DPRK in an announcement made on September 23, 2013, officially announcing to the public that it is imposing sanctions on the DPRK.


 
The list is promulgated in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution No.1718, 2087, 2094; INFCIRC/254/Rev.11/Part 1, INFCIRC/254/Rev.8/Part 2 published by the International Atomic Energy Agency; S/2012/947、S/2006/853、S/2009/364 published by the UN Security Council; as well as appendix C of UN Security Council Resolution No.2094.

The 236-page list covers the ban on dual-use items and technologies in four major areas including nuclear, missiles, chemicals and biological. While nuclear dual-use items in the embargo list are almost similar to those listed in the Catalog for the Administration of Import and Export Permit for Dual-Use Items and Technologies which is part of China’s export control system, the new list covers more items and technologies related to missiles, chemicals and biological, with more detailed technical specification. 

As the DPRK list is not based on HS code and could potentially have broader coverage, exporters should verify to see if their products for export to North Korea are subject to control.
This is the first time China has issued an embargo list against a specific country.

2013年10月3日木曜日

US export & re-export control seminar on Nov 5 - 6

Please be noted, unfortunately, this seminar is postponed due to the US federal government shut-down.  The new schedule will be discussed when the operation is back to normal.  (as of Oct 11)


On November 5 - 6 in Tokyo, US export and re-export control seminar will be held by US Embassy in Hotel Okura.  Traders who are involved in export compliance should attend this useful seminar.
The details are available in US Embassy web site:

(Seminar brochure in Japanese)
http://japan2.usembassy.gov/pdfs/wwwf-20131105-trade-j.pdf

(Seminar brochure in English)
http://japan2.usembassy.gov/pdfs/wwwf-20131105-trade-e.pdf

2013年10月2日水曜日

Second Round of Negotiations for RCEP

According to press release issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 27, the second round of negotiations for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ("RCEP") was held in Brisbane, Australia, from September 24 to 27.

In this round of negotiations, the meetings of the Trade Negotiating Committee, in which senior officials participated, and of working groups concerning issues such as Trade in Goods, Trade in Services and Investment were held, and the scope and method of negotiations were discussed.

The next round of negotiations will be held in Malaysia between January 21 and 24, 2014.
RCEP trade negotiation is expected to finalize by the end of 2015.