GHY Tradelines

An updated list of recently published government memorandums, notices, regulations and decisions for the week ending May 11, 2011 is now available on our website here.
 

(CNW)

Transportation software provider, IES, Ltd., urges the logistics industry to take action before the November 1st deadline when non-compliant truck carriers will be denied entry into Canada.

IES has been certified by the CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) as an authorized Canadian ACI highway software provider. IES will now provide one cloud-based gateway for truck shipments traveling from the US into Canada and from Canada into the United States.

Kevin Gavin, Senior VP of Supply Chain Compliance at IES explains the urgency of the looming regulation, “CBSA has clearly stated that non-compliant highway carriers will be denied entry to Canada. With ACI on the horizon, we would strongly urge carriers and service providers to begin planning their strategies now to bypass the pitfalls associated with a last-minute rush toward compliance.”

“We are proud to announce that IES has been certified by CBSA as an authorized ACI service bureau. We have added Canadian Highway ACI to our existing cloud-based US Truck ACE technology. The combined Truck eManifest product provides one portal for shipments both to and from Canada. Highway carriers and brokers can complete and submit electronic manifests online to both CBP and CBSA to comply with the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and Advance Commercial Information (ACI) programs respectively. Since both tools are bundled together in one interface, users can avoid the discontinuity that arises when jumping to and from multiple systems.” Read more here.
 

(Journal of Commerce – Mark Szakonyi)

Agency will begin screening all cargo from international passenger flights Dec. 3

The Transportation Security Administration will begin screening all cargo arriving from international passenger flights in early December, a year after the agency was tasked to expand its screening reach from the domestic to global scale.

“Harmonizing security efforts with our international and industry partners is a vital step in securing the global supply chain,” said TSA Administrator John Pistole. “By making greater use of intelligence, TSA can strengthen screening processes and ensure the screening of all cargo shipments without impeding the flow of commerce.” Read more here.
 

(Reuters – Claire Sibonney)

Canada’s dollar hit a four-month low against the U.S. dollar on Thursday as investors were gripped by worries about European banks and the prospect of Greece leaving the euro zone. Uninspiring U.S. and Canadian economic data added to the gloom.

Fears about Spain’s banks resurfaced after a newspaper report that customers at Bankia, the partly nationalized lender, had withdrawn more than 1 billion euros from their accounts in the past week. The Spanish government said there had been no exit of deposits. The report followed suggestions that customers of Greek banks were moving funds in expectation of the country’s exit from the euro, adding to broader anxiety about the region’s debt crisis. Read more here.
 

(The Globe and Mail – Steven Chase)

The Harper government is suspending a $20-million program that promotes Canadian business investment in developing countries after auditors uncovered what Ottawa is calling financial “irregularities” in some projects. It’s bad timing for the Trudeau-era Investment Cooperation Program, the utility of which the Conservatives were already scrutinizing during an era of belt-tightening in Ottawa.

International Trade Minister Ed Fast said he first learned of trouble at INC in early March following preliminary audits of a sampling of projects in the 2008 to 2011 period. “Departmental officials have been authorized to seek recovery of taxpayer dollars wherever warranted, and if appropriate, to refer matters to law enforcement for possible further investigation,” Mr. Fast said. Read more here.
 

(Suzanne Goldenberg – The Guardian)

Investigation finds China kept prices low with subsidies, but some in US warn tariff will slow adoption of solar energy

The Obama administration imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese solar panels on Thursday, after finding that China is flooding the market with government subsidised products.

The preliminary decision, that China had dumped solar products on the US for less than the cost of manufacture, will result in tariffs of between 31% and 250% on Chinese imports.

It was seen on Thursday as a mixed blessing.

US solar panel makers, who brought the original complaint, are expected to benefit. But the tariffs, by forcing up prices, are expected to slow the adoption of solar power more generally.

There were also fears the move could lead to a broader US-Chinese trade war.

In its decision, the US commerce department said it would impose tariffs of about 31% on about 60 Chinese solar panel exporters which participated in the investigation, including Wuxi Suntech and Trina Solar. Other manufacturers will face tariffs of just under 250%. The levies will be retroactive for 90 days. Read more here.

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