GHY Tradelines

(CFIA)

This notice is to remind importers and brokers that phase 6 implementation of the changes to import notification requirements for products in the non-federally registered food sector will come into effect on August 15, 2011.

Annex 1 of the Notice to Importers and Brokers – Phase 6 on the CFIA website has been updated to include the OGD extension codes for the commodities relevant to this phase.

(ifw – Damian Brett)

Transpacific carriers believe they will finally be able to implement a peak-season surcharge (PSS) in the coming weeks as retailers start to stock up for Christmas.

The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA), a rate-recommending organization, has recommended that its shipping line members impose a PSS of $400/feu from 15 August. The TSA initially announced that a PSS should apply from 15 June, but it was delayed several times because market conditions were not strong enough for carriers to push the price increases through. But the TSA now believes retailers are beginning to restock for the back-to-school and festive holiday seasons and businesses are resuming global sourcing of materials and components. Read more here.
 

(China Daily – Zhou Yan and Zhang Qi)

Minmetals calls on industry to adhere to government guidelines

The rare-earth processor China Minmetals Nonferrous Metals Co said it is planning to halt output to adhere to the country’s mandatory production limit.

That comes amid a recent stabilization of rare-earth prices, which have surged fourfold since the start of this year.

The company, which has an annual rare-earth processing capacity of 14,000 tons, “hasn’t decided when will be the specific date to halt production”, anonymous sources from the company’s marketing department was quoted by National Business Daily as saying on Tuesday.

The non-ferrous arm of State-owned China Minmetals Corp, the nation’s biggest metals trading firm, issued an appeal on Tuesday to other domestic rare-earth processing plants to also avoid illegal over-production. The appeal came after the nation’s annual output limit for smelting and processing rare-earths products had been reached. Read more here.
 

(World Trade Interactive)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a notice that provides the criteria and process for its acceptance of accreditation of third-party conformity assessment bodies for testing pursuant to the safety standards for toys (ASTM F 963-08 and section 4.27 (toy chests) from ASTM F 963-07ε1). Accordingly, toys manufactured after Dec. 31, 2011, cannot be imported for consumption or warehousing or distributed in commerce unless the manufacturers (including importers) or private labelers have first (a) had samples of such product, or samples that are identical in all material respects to such product, tested by a third-party conformity assessment body accredited to do so and (b) issued a certificate of compliance with the applicable regulations based on that testing. Read more here.