March 2016

4378694036_b58f5081de_bToday, the Canadian Government tabled the 2016 Budget.  Hidden in the middle of the long document is the following statement about tariff reductions:

“Supporting Manufacturers Through Tariff Relief

Canadian manufacturers need a wide range of inputs to produce their high-quality products. Some of these manufacturing inputs are imported and may face tariffs when entering

Canadian parliamentToday, the Federal Government of Canada tabled the Budget.  There are a few GST/HST Measures.  The following is an excerpt from the Budget:

Medical and Assistive Devices

Medical and assistive devices that are specially designed to assist an individual in treating or coping with a chronic disease or illness or a physical disability are generally

Originally published in the Journal of Commerce in March 2016

On February 24, 2016, President Obama signed into law H.R. 644. Entitled the “Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015,” it contains a good many technical revisions to existing Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) processes, procedures, laws and regulations. Much more is included, so

This article was co-authored with Kevin M. Rosenbaum of MS&K.

On February 24, 2016, President Obama signed into law the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, PL 114-125 (TFTEA), which includes an assortment of trade facilitation and trade enforcement provisions, including a number of provisions focused on intellectual property rights (IPR). Section III

On February 24, 2016, H.R. 644 was signed into law by the President. While yet another trade-related bill was signed without any public ceremony, this new law contains a number of timely provisions. The first section deals with trade facilitation side-by-side with trade enforcement. The CBP Commissioner is directed to coordinate with the Director of

Good BadThe Worldpac Canada v. President of the Canada Border Services Agency case (AP-2014-021) released by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (“CITT”) on March 8, 2016 contains a few paragraphs that do not hide the CITT’s frustration with the appeal paperwork in this case.  Member Downey states in the Reasons:

“… the Tribunal also wishes to

Gavel and Scales of JusticeAccording to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (“CITT”) in Worldpac Canada v. President of the Canada Border Services Agency, AP-2014-021 (Order and Reasons released on February 18, 2016 and posted on the CITT website on March 8, 2016), a “blanket authorization” is a “mechanism involving a specific process by which an importer can apply to

Many QuestionsThe answer is “Yes”, and it happens on a regular basis.  Quite frankly, we have received more calls about NEXUS confiscations at Toronto Pearson Airport Pre-Clearance recently – and, it makes one wonder if a US CBP policy directive has changed.  The issues that arise at U.S. Pre-Clearance at Toronto Pearson Airport are different issues

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SONY DSC

On March 2, 2016, Foreign Affairs Minister Dion made the following statement:

“Canada supports ‎imposing additional sanctions on North Korea, in accordance with Resolution 2270, adopted today by the United Nations Security Council. The Government of Canada will take further steps, as necessary, to implement the new elements of

iStock_000019169483XSmallOn February 29, 2016, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade, and Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade, announced that the legal review of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) English text has been completed.  More interesting, thy announced changes to the Investment Chapter and the establishment of a permanent investment