GHY Tradelines

(CTV.ca – The Canadian Press)

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney says he believes a new security perimeter arrangement with the U.S. represents no threat to sovereignty but does offer a necessary insurance policy for the Canadian economy.

Mulroney, who negotiated the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, said Tuesday the heightened tension over security as a result of the 9-11 terrorist attacks threatens the free flow of goods across the border, putting at risk a key pillar of the economy. “I think it’s a good idea and I think it’s getting closer,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press. […]

“When we did the Canada-United States free trade agreement and then NAFTA, which has been the driving force of the Canadian economy for the last 15 or 20 years, what it didn’t foresee was 9-11 and all the aftershocks of that, the tightening of the border and so on,” Mulroney said.

A new perimeter agreement would largely serve to restore the situation to where it stood before 9-11, he said. Read more here.

CFIA has advised that Canada and the U.S. have completed their review of the pest-risk associated with wood packaging material moving between the US and Canada and have concluded that pest risks can be addressed by requiring wood packaging moving between the two countries be compliant with ISPM 15 (2009).

The complete timelines have yet to be formalized, but it is expected that these will be published by spring 2011, which will then begin with a period of informed compliance. This interim period will permit the importation of non-compliant WPM shipments between the US and Canada (providing they are pest free), and carriers will be advised accordingly that these shipments must comply with ISPM 15 once full implementation is in effect.

It is anticipated that full implementation may occur by summer 2012.

(World Trade Interactive)

Legislation introduced Dec. 20 in the House of Representatives seeks to prevent the circumvention of antidumping and countervailing duty orders by giving U.S. Customs and Border Protection the authority to investigate claims of evasion by foreign manufacturers. Currently the Department of Commerce, which administers all AD and CV duty orders, is responsible for conducting anti-circumvention reviews. Similar legislation (S. 3725) was introduced in the Senate in August by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.

According to a joint press release from Reps. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., Walter Jones, R-N.C., and Mark Critz, D-Pa., the Enforcing Orders and Reducing Customs Evasion (ENFORCE) Act (H.R. 6549) would allow domestic producers to petition CBP for investigations of possible AD/CV duty evasion. CBP would then have to initiate an investigation within ten days, issue a preliminary determination within 60 days and make a final determination within an additional 120 days. CBP could use adverse inferences for those parties that do not cooperate.  Read more here.

(Business Standard – T S Vishwanath)

With countries laying out stringent preconditions for clean energy subsidies, technology-led trade issues are emerging as possible new areas of conflict.

The fight among the World Trade Organisation (WTO) members over clean technologies and energy subsides has been in the news for the past few months, which clearly indicates that the next area of focus for countries would be technology-led trade in the coming years.

A couple of months ago, the U.S. voiced its intention to seek the dispute settlement route against Beijing over alleged green technology subsidies, export restrictions on raw materials and other measures that China claims are necessary to put the country on a cleaner growth path.

Japan, on the other hand, has recently initiated a WTO complaint against one of Canada’s province’s green energy subsidies, alleging that they discriminate against foreign suppliers. At issue are stringent local content requirements of Ontario’s Feed-in Tariff Programme, which allows the province to subsidise electricity operators that use renewable energy if up to 60% of the inputs are manufactured in the province. Only those foreign companies that set up shop in Ontario and produce electricity and equipment there are eligible for the subsidy. Read more here.

(Federal Aviation Administration)

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspectors at the North Pole certified Santa One, the reindeer-powered sleigh piloted by Santa Claus, for its Christmas Eve round-the-world delivery mission.

Santa One, led by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, is outfitted with new satellite-based NextGen technology, which will allow Santa to deliver more toys to more children with improved safety and efficiency.

“Children around the world will get their gifts on time, regardless of the weather, thanks to NextGen,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We’re proud to say NextGen is bringing Santa Claus to town.”

Rudolph’s red nose has been outfitted with avionics that will broadcast Santa One’s position via satellites to air traffic controllers around the world with improved accuracy, integrity and reliability.

“Santa’s cockpit display will help improve his situational awareness by showing him and his reindeer flight crew their precise location in relation to other aircraft, bad weather and terrain,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “NextGen will help make this an extra-safe Christmas Eve.”

The sleigh’s onboard systems have been upgraded with state-of-the-art, NextGen technology that will allow Santa One to maintain cruising altitude for as long as possible before making a continuous descent into cities and towns around the world. While maneuvering on rooftops, an advanced, onboard runway safety system will help reduce the risk of incursions between the sleigh and chimneys.

Santa’s reindeer-powered sleigh is already energy-efficient, but the NextGen technologies will further reduce Santa One’s carbon hoofprint. The shorter, faster routings means that Rudolph and the other reindeer will consume less hay, resulting in fewer greenhouse gases.

Unlike any other pilot, Santa has special permission from the FAA to fly thousands of domestic and international short-haul and long-range flights in one night. In keeping with the FAA’s science-based proposal to give pilots more rest, Santa will arrange his flight plan based on his circadian rhythm. Mrs. Claus also assured FAA safety inspectors that she’ll make sure he gets plenty of rest before the flight on Christmas Eve.

Follow Santa’s progress on Christmas Eve at the NORAD Tracks Santa website and see how NextGen is going to improve the safety and efficiency of Santa’s rooftop descents here.