GHY Tradelines

(James Fitz-Morris — CBC News)

A Canada-U.S. plan to establish a security perimeter is almost ready to go, but it’s held back by one issue: finding a time to announce it.

Details from the plan are emerging from sources who say Canada may need to budget for a $1-billion price tag for new border facilities and programs to make trade and travel easier.

CBC News has learned that the most contentious issues, such as immigration, refugee standards and the harmonization of some security measures, have been stripped out of the agreement.

The goal was to unveil the Beyond the Borders plan in the summer — but with the leaves changing colour and a chill in the air, there’s still no announcement. Read more here.

Related: Canada, U.S. Reach Agreement on $1B Perimeter Security Pact (Toronto Star)
 

(World Trade Interactive)

The Transportation Security Administration announced Oct. 4 that it will not set a Dec. 31, 2011, deadline for 100% screening of cargo on international passenger aircraft bound for the U.S. TSA said it reached this decision after careful consideration of industry comments and a thorough examination of the unique challenges facing international cargo screening. TSA will continue to work toward meeting the statutory requirement for 100% screening but has not set a new anticipated deadline.

TSA officials had testified at a March 9 congressional hearing that they were working to meet the 100% screening requirement by Dec. 31, two years ahead of schedule. TSA had proposed the accelerated timetable in light of certain threats as well as the considerable progress made by air carriers in screening international inbound cargo. Specifically, carriers were found to be screening a higher percentage of air cargo (about 80% as of August 2010) than initially estimated (about 65%), and many air carriers were are already at or close to 100%. Read more here.
 

(World Trade Interactive)

The European Union issued Oct. 4 a regulation that eliminates effective from Oct. 24 the current requirement to present a certificate of origin (or an invoice declaration of origin in certain cases) to be able to import most apparel and a range of textile products into the EU.

The regulation acknowledges that there is no reason to demand proof of origin when the products at hand can be imported into the EU without any constraints. The EU already has a comprehensive system to track the origin of imported merchandise, including a requirement to enter the country of origin in Box 34 of the single administrative document that importers have to complete for the release of goods for free circulation and an ex-post statistical surveillance system that monitors the impact of textile and apparel imports on the EU market.

However, companies doing business in the EU should keep in mind that textile and apparel products claiming preferential duty treatment still need to comply with all applicable certificate of origin and other documentary requirements to benefit from such preferential treatment.