More Trade News in Brief Week 26 (24 – 30 June 2013)

 

* Croatia – Welcomed to EU

 

On Monday 1 July Croatia will become the 28th Member State of the European Union.

 

For more information:

 

– Institutional and administrative aspects of Croatia’s EU accession MEMO/13/593

 

– Croatia’s EU accession – Q&A MEMO/13/629

 

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* 2012 Annual Review of GSP System

 

US announced today the outcome of the 2012 Annual Review under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.

 

Check here.

 

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* World Investment Report 2013

 

UNCTAD published its 2013 World Investment Report with the latest trends in foreign direct investment (FDI).

 

Download  World Investment Report 2013

 

Read more here.

 

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* Norway the First to Sign the Hong Kong Ship Recycling Treaty

 

The Kingdom of Norway became the first contracting State to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (2009).

 

Please follow the link.

 

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News from BRICS

 

* BRICS Business Council

 

6 March 2013, Pretoria

 

The BRICS Members announced the launch of the BRICS Business Council for trade and industry promotion.

 

Check here for more.

 

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* BRICS Customs Cooperation

 

11 March 2013, Pretoria

 

The BRICS Customs Agencies search for speeding up customs procedures and agreed to unify the software, organize preliminary informing and stimulate electronic customs clearance of cargoes.

 

Please follow the link.

 

 

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.

 

EU & Shipping Industry

* European Commission Proposed a New Framework for Marine Equipment

 

 The European Commission adopted a proposal for a new directive on marine equipment (the “MED”).

 

The Commission has proposed a revision of the Directive on marine equipment to ensure an harmonised application of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards.

 

The proposal has two general objectives:
– to enhance the implementation and enforcement mechanisms of the MED, and
– to simplify the regulatory environment.

 

For more information, check here and here.

 

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* New Rules on Cleaner Fuels for Shipping

 

On 17 December 2012 entered in force the new EU environmental rules on marine fuels.

 

Check for more here.

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 36 (27 August – 2 September 2012)

* Switzerland Adopts Several Maritime Conventions

 

Switzerland adopted four conventions developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to enhance the protection of the marine environment.

 

Switzerland has adopted the next conventions:

 

–          Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention

–          the 2001 International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage

–          the 2004 International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments

–          and the 2011 International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships

 

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* India & Mauritius Negotiate New DTA

 

India and Mauritius have completed a further round of negotiations towards a new Double Tax Agreement (DTA).

 

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* Andorra Extends TIEA Network

 

Andorra approved the signature of new Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEA) with the Czech Republic and South Korea.

 

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* WTO Statistics Database Updated

 

The World Trade Organization (WTO) updated its 2011 database on world merchandise trade.

 

Please check the Statistics Database here.

 

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* New WTO Members: Russia and Vanuatu

 

On 22 August 2012, Russia becomes the 156th WTO member and Vanuatu will join the WTO on 24 August as its 157th member.

 

More here.