News from ASEAN

* Timor-Leste Remains Committed to Join ASEAN

 

Timor-Leste remains committed to joining ASEAN and is currently rolling out measures at the national level to consolidate its bid for membership of ASEAN.

 

Check here for more.

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* ASEAN to Pilot Customs Transit System

 

An ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) will be piloted in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The system, aimed at facilitating the movement of transit goods by road within ASEAN.

 

Read more following the link.

 

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News from BIS

 

* Capital Requirements for Bank Exposures to Central Counterparties

 

Bank for International Settlements (BIS), in collaboration with BCBS, the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS), and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) completed its work on the capital treatment of bank exposures to central counterparties.

 

The final standard will take effect on 1 January 2017.

 

Check here for more.

 

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* Supervisory Framework for Measuring and Controlling Large Exposures

 

Bank for International Settlements (BIS) sets out a supervisory framework for measuring and controlling large exposures.

 

The framework is scheduled to take effect from 1 January 2019.

 

Check here for more.

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 23 (3 – 10 June 2013)

 

* EU: Latvia is Ready to Adopt Euro

 

The European Commission concludes that Latvia has achieved the economical level convergence with the euro area and proposes that the Council decide on Latvia’s adoption of the euro as from 1 January 2014.

 

The European Central Bank (ECB) Convergence Report 2013 on Latvia can be found following the link.

 

Please check here and here.

 

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* WTO – The Final Lap of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Accession

 

The bilateral negotiations for the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s World Trade Organization (WTO) membership are expected to complete by the 9th Ministerial Conference in December 2013.

 

Follow the link for more.

 

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* ISO: Consumer Product Safety – Guidelines for Suppliers

 

ISO published a guideline on how to assess and manage risk to supply safe products to the consumer: ISO 10377:2013, Consumer product safety – Guidelines for suppliers.

Kindly check the new standard here.

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 21 (20 – 26 May 2013)

 

* Switzerland & China FTA

 

Switzerland and China have signed a free-trade agreement. The deal is the first between China and a continental European economy.

 

Check here and here for more.

 

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* ICC – Authorized Economic Operator (AEO)

 

ICC has published a collection of standards to help border authorities determine a standardized definition of a diligent trader, commonly referred to as Authorized Economic Operator (AEO).

 

Read more here.

 

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* US & Myanmar Signed TIFA

 

The United States and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

 

Follow the link for more.

 

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* ISO – A Revised Standard for the Financial Services Industry

 

ISO has just published a revised version of the ISO 20022:2013 series on financial services, which ensures the reliable transfer of data, making financial transactions more secure.

 

Click here.

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 17 (22 – 28 April 2013)

 

* EU & Morocco to Start DCFTA Talks

 

22 April 2013, Brussels

 

The EU and Morocco started the first round of negotiations for an EU-Morocco Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).

 

Check here for more.

 

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* IOSCO – Report on Technological Challenges to Market Surveillance

 

 22 April 2013, Madrid (Spain)

 

 The Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published today a final report on Technological Challenges to Effective Market Surveillance: Issues and Regulatory Tools.

 

Read the report here.

 

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* ISO’s 2012 Annual Report

 

The ISO’s 2012 Annual Report examines the organization’s activities in the field of business and economy standards.

 

Discover ISO’s Annual Report 2012 here.

 

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* New ISO for Financial Services

 

ISO/ IEC published a new standard: ISO/IEC TR 27015:2012, Information technology – Security techniques – Information security management guidelines for financial services – guidance for organizations providing financial services.

 

Read more here.

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 12 (18 – 24 March 2013)

 

* ISO Guidelines for Armed Maritime Guards

 

14 March 2013

 

ISO has developed a guideline for armed maritime guards and to defend the ship navigation from piracy attacks.

 

ISO/PAS 28007:2012, Ships and marine technology – Guidelines for Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC) providing privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) on board ships (and pro forma contract).

 

Check here.

 

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* OECD – Guidelines on Measuring Subjective Well-being

 

 OECD releases Guidelines on Measuring Subjective Well-being to provide advice on the collection and use of measures of subjective well-being.

 

The Guidelines is developed under the OECD’s Better Life Initiative.

 

Please follow the link.

 

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* Cayman & Brazil Sign TIEA

 

Cayman Islands sign a landmark tax information exchange agreement (TIEA) with Brazil.

 

Check here for more.

 

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* Spain & Argentina Sign Fresh DTA

 

Spain and Argentina have signed a new accord aimed at preventing double taxation and tax evasion.

 

Kindly follow the link.

 

Treaty Relief and Compliance Enhancement (TRACE)

 

The OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs approved the TRACE Implementation Package.

 

Learn more about the TRACE Project.

 

 Public documents relating to TRACE Work:

• TRACE Implementation Package (February 2013)
• Public Comments on Draft Implementation Package: Possible Improvements to Procedures for Tax Relief for Cross-Border Investors (September 2010)
• Pilot Group Report on Possible Improvements to the Procedures for Tax Relief for Cross Border Investors: Implementation Package (February 2010)
• ICG Report on Possible Improvements to the Procedures for Tax Relief for Cross Border Investors (January 2009)

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 4 (21 – 27 January 2013)

 

* ILO – Global Employment Trends 2013

 

22 January 2013

 

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has issued a new report on global employment.

 

The Global Employment Trends 2013 is available here.

 

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* Romania – The 118th member of the Global Forum

 

23 January 2013

 

Romania has joined the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes developed by OECD.

 

Check here for more.

 

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* ISO – Information Security and Service Management Standard

 

16 January 2013

 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in collaboration with International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) published a new international standard regarding the information security and service management system.

 

Read more about the new ISO/IEC 27013:2012, Information technology – Security techniques – Guidance on the integrated implementation of ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 20000-1 here.

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 2 (7 – 13 January 2013)

* IMO – Amended MARPOL

 

The new amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) entered into force on 1 January 2013.

 

The new chapter make mandatory the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), for new ships, and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships.

 

Find more on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) page.

 

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* Laos – The WTO’s 158th Member

 

Laos will officially become the WTO’s 158th member state on 2 February.

 

Read more here.

 

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* Comoros – The 146th Contracting Party to the Harmonized System Convention

 

The Union of the Comoros started the process of joining to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System).

 

Check the Press release.

 

ISO Survey of Management System Standard Certifications – 2011

12 December 2012

 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released for free The ISO Survey of Management System Standard Certifications – 2011.

ISO Survey of Management System Standard Certifications – 2011

 

 

 

 

 

7 ISO Standards regarding management systems

were included in the survey:

 

ISO 9001 data (excel)
ISO 14001 data (excel)
ISO 22000 data (excel)
ISO/IEC 27001 data (excel)
ISO 50001 data (excel)
ISO 13485 data (excel)
ISO/TS 16949 data (excel)

 

 

 

The publication is available here.