IPBA Committee News
This month we have several updates on how diverse jurisdictions are handling international trade, telecommunications, media and technology issues!
There is too much information to publish the reports in their entirely in this short newsletter, so click the appropriate link at the end of each report to read more.
International Trade Corey Norton, Chair
From Brett Williams (Australia):
Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement review by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties
Now that the election is over and we have a new government, it is expected that the government will ask the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (‘JSCOT’) of the 45th Parliament to review the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement which was signed See entire report
Antidumping Practice
Some practitioners areinterested in the outcome of the EU’s appeal (filed 20 May 2016) to the WTO Appellate Body of the panel report in European Union – Anti-Dumping Measures on Biodiesel from Argentina (WT/DS473/R). The report indicated the presence of a distortion in a market is not See entire report
Trade Facilitation Measures: Trusted Trade Programme
Australia is proceeding with measures to implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement which will come into force when it is ratified by two-thirds of the Members of the WTO (at 15 July 2016, 86 of the 163 Members had ratified.) The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is continuing to hold information sessions on See entire report
From Paolo Vergano (Belgium):
EU Customs Compliance
On 13 July 2016, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee of the EU Parliament voted the adoption of a draft report with amendments to the proposed Directive on the legal framework of EU customs infringements and sanctions. On 22 November 2016, this long-awaited report will be presented at See entire report
EU-US Privacy Shield
On 12 July 2016, the European Commission announced the approval and launch of the new EU-US ‘Privacy Shield’. The Privacy Shield is intended to ensure the protection of transatlantic data flows handled by certified companies. Key elements of the Privacy Shield are See entire report
From Jesse Goldman (Canada):
Antidumping Practice
The Government of Canada has recently initiated wide-ranging consultations on Canada's trade remedy system. These consultations respond to the Canadian steel industry’s concern with the current Canadian legislative framework for trade remedies being ill equipped to deal with See entire report
EU-Canada CETA & ISDS
The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement ("CETA") inches towards ratification and while Brexit may complicate timing for ratification, the agreement seems certain to be ratified by the end of 2016 or early 2017. The timing is somewhat unpredictable because of See entire report
From Jeffrey Snyder (United States):
International Trade Implications of Brexit – What Companies Should Do Now
The ramifications of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union will be significant for international trade, but as of today nothing has changed in practical terms. What does this mean for trade and other daily trade issues for global business? Not very much immediately, but See entire report
Tariff Phase-Outs for Technology Products
ITA II - Effective July 1 the United States has joined the EU, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand in the phasing out of tariffs on 201 technology products under the Information Technology Agreement. Other participants, including China, Japan, and South Korea have not yet See entire report
Antidumping Duty Evasion
The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 creates new US law to address a variety of trade enforcement issues, including the establishment of formal duty evasion investigation and prevention programs; it establishes a Trade Law Remedy Enforcement Division charged with: (1) developing and administering policies to See entire report
Technology, Media & Telecommunications Barunesh Chandra, Chair
From Monika Singh (India):
Role of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC): certification or censorship?!
Recently, the CBFC in India has been in the eye of the storm for ‘suggesting’ the deletion of kissing scenes in the James Bond movie 'Spectre' (in preparation of its India release) and more recently, demanding See entire report
From JJ Disini (Philippines):
NPC holds public consultations for Data Privacy Act Draft IRR
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) conducted a series of public consultations on the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Data Privacy Act. The series was scheduled on June 28, July 13 and July 14 in See entire report
Telecom lawyer appointed as first DICT secretary
Lawyer and ex-Globe executive Rodolfo “Rudy” Agapay Salalima will be the first secretary of the newly created Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Prior to his appointment, he served as See entire report
Globe, PLDT file lawsuit against PCC over SMC telco deal
Telecommunications giants Globe Telecom Inc. and PLDT filed separate lawsuits against the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to prevent its review of their P69.1-billion buyout deal of See entire report
PLDT, Globe agree on IP peering for faster, more affordable internet
After six years of negotiations, PLDT and Globe finally agreed to sign an internet protocol (IP) peering arrangement. The peering arrangement will allow See entire report
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