Dear International Trade and Investment Committee Members,
Here are the international trade and investment articles and publications of interest for the week of January 5 to January 12. Golsa Ghamari has curated this week’s edition. Golsa is a member of the International Trade and Investment Committee. Aside from running her own practice, she works on a contract basis for various senior practitioners in Ottawa and Toronto in the areas of civil litigation and international trade. She can be reached at info@ghamarilaw.com.
Should you wish to help the Newsletter sub-committee by curating an edition or provide any feedback, please send a note to Andrew Lanouette, the Co-Chair of the International Trade and Investment Committee at alanouette@cassidylevy.com.
News
- Russia has filed its first trade dispute before the World Trade Organization, complaining about the European Union's anti-dumping duties.
- The World Trade Organization says the dispute is the first to be initiated by Russia since it became a full member of the Geneva-based WTO in August 2012.
- Stagnant exports of much of what Canada produces contributed to a $940-million trade deficit in November – the 23rd consecutive month the country imported more than it sold to the rest of the world.
- Both sides of the controversial country-of-origin labeling rule made their oral arguments in court Jan. 9 in the latest chapter of the domestic review of U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent COOL rule.
- A new study, released by the Canada-U.S. Task Group, a group of Canadian and U.S. non-profit and trade organizations, documents the commercial flow of grain from the United States to Canada.
- The study addresses U.S. and Canadian trade volume, handling and processing practices for more than 15 commodities traded between the United States and Canada.
- Ms Alison Redford, the Premier of the Canadian province of Alberta, is leading a trade mission to India from today to explore areas of deeper cooperation, especially in the energy and agriculture sectors.
- The delegation will also seek to promote Alberta as an attractive investment destination and will open an Alberta trade office in Delhi.
Government Press Releases
- The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today marked the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
- Signed by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Mexico’s President Carlos Salinas and U.S. President George H.W. Bush, NAFTA came into effect on January 1, 1994, creating the largest free trade region in the world. Since then, the North American economy has more than doubled, and productivity in Canada has increased 14 percent, bringing economic growth to the three NAFTA partners and raising the quality of life of their citizens.
- The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today issued an order following the expiry review of its order made on January 8, 2009, in Expiry Review No. RR-2008-002, concerning the dumping of hot-rolled carbon steel plate and high-strength low-alloy steel plate from the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania.
- The Tribunal found that the dumping of hot-rolled carbon steel plate and high-strength low-alloy steel plate from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania was likely to result in injury. The Canada Border Services Agency will therefore continue to impose anti-dumping duties on these products.
Commentary and Editorials
- This month, Canadians marked with little fanfare the 25th anniversary of one of the most important events in our history. As we mark the 25th anniversary of one of the critical moments of our history, the most interesting chapters are yet to come.
- Former Conservative cabinet minister Jim Prentice is urging Canada and the United States to look beyond the contentious and high-profile Keystone XL oil pipeline when it comes to their trade relationship.
- The Trans-Pacific Partnership (or TPP) trade negotiations, the biggest floating trade game on the planet, will be re-engaging in earnest this year, having missed their 2013 deadline, an impossible goal to begin with.