The 2012 U.S. HTS changes, which incorporate amendments to the Harmonized System adopted by the World Customs Organization, were initially expected to be effective on January 1, 2012. However, the proclamation that authorizes the changes has yet to be signed by the President, resulting in a delay.

Once the proclamation has been signed by the President, the 2012 HTS changes will become effective 30 days after the publication of the proclamation body in the Federal Register. It is expected that the effective date for the changes will be towards the end of January.

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What is on the table doesn’t deliver “meaningful market access in the part of the world that will be growing and driving GDP growth over the next few years,”  U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said, in a reference to countries like China, India and Brazil.

Not all countries are statisified with what is on the table so far. Some believe that the wealther countries will still profit more than the developing countries.

But, as Mr. Kirk puts it best:

The Doha Round “is like a cricket match. You don’t know the score and it takes a long time, but it does end, and there is a winner.”

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The United States and the European Community(a.k.a. European Union) are number one and number two for both filing the most complaints and receiving the most complaints. Rounding out the top five for the World Trade Organization members, who file the most compliants are:

5. Mexico

4. Brazil

3. Canada

2. European Community

1. United States

Thoses members, who are subject to the most trade complaints are:

5. Argentina

4. China

3. India

2. European Community

1. United States

Many of these disputes vary such as export curbs to the latest import ban of seal products from Canada. According to the article, more of the wealther nations tend to file complaints to the WTO dispute settlement body compared to other members.

To view the full lists, click here.

“They’re working through a lot of scattered issues, but they are working through the WTO,” says James McGregor, the former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. “In the old days, every trade issue would become a very public and unstructured argument.”

China and the U.S. trade around $400 billion in goods each year. Many trade experts were concerned tension may get too high, making resolution difficult. But, U.S. officials dismiss that allegation, saying that the affected goods are only a small part of the total trade exchange.

Wanna read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1939536,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

The Canadian international trade minister, Stockwell Day, publicly criticized the rules “as so onerous that they affect the ability of our cattle and hog exporters to compete fairly in the United States.” He said Canada “has no choice” but to request that the World Trade Organization scrutinize the labeling rules.

The U.S. trade representative defended the allegations and its claim that the Obama administration is practicing protectionism by stating that the information on the labels given to consumers complies with the WTO.

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There are two important reasons that Russia and the WTO members has it’s eye on joining: the global economic crisis, and the creation of a Customs Union involving Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus – who would all like to enter as world trade members simultaneously.

This year all speeches by Russian leaders at several international forums send a clear message to the economic world that Russia is ready to participate in creating a global governance system. This means that Russia has no choice but to join the WTO.

But, Russia needs to modernize its economy, a need that became apparent with the onset of the crisis. As oil and gas prices dropped, the top two exports in Russia, the need to diversify is even more clear.

If Russia stays out of the WTO, Russian producers and exporters will face increasing difficulties in international markets. WTO membership will provide an opportunity to enter new markets, offering the potential for significant increases in export revenues.

Time will tell if and when Russia will decide to finally enter the WTO as a member or if it will continue to live outside the trading box, so to say.

To read more, click here.

“The talks are entering an advanced stage. Brussels and Washington hope this could be one of the incentives needed to get China on board in the lead up to the Copenhagen climate change talks,” one EU diplomat.

Several U.S. companies are urging the Obama adminstration to find alternatives routes to help boost global trade in environmental goods and services.

It’s a chance to jump-start U.S. trade policy and aid global climate negotiations at the same time,” said Jake Colvin, vice president for global trade policy at the National Foreign Trade Council, a U.S. business group.

Not only to boost global trade, but helping  the environment is one of the major factors intented for this tax pact.  The United States and the European Union has put a lot of pressure on China to lower it’s emissions, but in return China wants money to help harness new greener technologies for its economy.

Further discussions will take place at the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

For more information, click here.

*all information sourced from a recent Reuter article.

The Wall Street Journal reports that China has appealed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over its August ruling on entertainment imports, such as Hollywood dvd releases and downloadable music from Apple, Inc. Reports claim that their attempt reflects the recent trade tensions between the U.S. and China because of the increased tire tariffs and chicken import investigation.

China appeals to WTO on grounds of ‘public moral’ stating that it must protect its citizens from Westerized media.

“…China must now prove its trade restrictions are necessary to protect public morals,” says Brendan McGivern, a Geneva-based trade lawyer for White & Case LLP. “It will be a difficult argument to make.”

The WTO’s August ruling required Beijing must stop forcing U.S. artists and production companies to go through state-controlled distributors.

To read the full article, click here.

“Aid for Trade” is a World Trade Organization program that was launced four years ago in Hong Kong. The idea behind this program is to ”give developing countries the tools to improve their position as trade partners and both their own development and the international trade situation will also improve.”

‘Developing countries very often face trade barriers, which either stem from their own infrastructure – for example roadways, transport or energy – or they face technical trade barriers, for example if someone wants to export flowers to the US or to Europe he will have to meet the maximum pesticide residue standard,’ says Pascal Lamy,WTO director general.

Aid for Trade helps to integrate developing countries into the global economy and ensure that they can take advantage of trade opening and gain access to markets for its exports of goods and services.

One key component of this is the creation of infrastructure, to ensure the consistent and reliable flow of goods, services and information that underpin global trade. Another is to ensure that manufacturers are trained in meeting global product quality and safety standards demanded by consumers.

To read the full article by International Trade, click here.