With few exceptions, importers of food into Canada require an import license issued under the Safe Foods for Canadians Regulations. The Canada Food Inspection Agency has recently issued the following reminder that failure to secure and appropriately enter your valid Safe Food for Canadians food import license could result in your food imports being stopped
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How We Got Port Congestion and How We Can Get Out
This article was deemed too hot to publish by the Journal of Commerce and so ended our relationship.
As we move into the new year and things start to settle into more of a routine, one issue that simply will not go away is port congestion. There are lots of reasons for the current mess.…
CUSMA/USMCA : U.S. issues Updated Interim Implementing Instructions: Automotive
The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA or USMCA) will introduce new and complex requirements for the automotive industry. Not only will vehicle producers face increased Regional Value Content requirements starting July 1, 2020, but they will be required to meet the following requirements:
- minimum purchase requirements for North American steel and aluminum;
- labour value content requirements
…
Are you ready for the July 1 implementation of the CANADA-UNITED STATES-MEXICO AGREEMENT (CUSMA/USMCA)?
The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), also referred to as the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA), comes into effect on July 1, 2020. Are you ready?
The full CUSMA Agreement was signed in November of 2018, and later amended in December 2019. In April of this year each of the three parties notified that they had completed…
CBSA Extends Trade Compliance Suspension Until Further Notice
On March 26, 2020, the Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) notified certain importers under verification that the CBSA was temporarily suspending trade compliance activities due to COVID-19 – see The CBSA Temporarily Suspends Trade Compliance Activities due to COVID-19.
On May 19, 2020, importers received an update from the CBSA informing external stakeholders that…
Food Importers into Canada Require Safe Food for Canadians Import License
With few exceptions, those importing food into Canada now or soon (July 15, 2020) will require an import license issued pursuant to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations:
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- The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations issued pursuant to the Safe Food for Canadians Act (“SFCA”) came into force on January 15, 2019.
- These
…
What are the top 10 COVID-19 remote working issues for Canadian importers?
Many Canadian import businesses have implemented remote working arrangements for employees as a result of COVID-19 government directives. Social distancing in business organizations can give rise to costly mistakes because business is not as usual. Importers have to adjust to the new normal and identify new (and existing) business risks. Most employees and managers are…
Time to Review and Update Compliance Programs to Address COVID-19 Remote Working
Most Canadian export controls and controlled goods compliance programs are built with the assumption that relevant employees who have access to controlled goods and technical data will be working in an on-site work environment and use work computers and in-house servers where information is securely stored with access and release restrictions and where work-related activities…
CUSMA / USMCA / NAFTA 2.0 Enters into Effect on July 1, 2020 – Have you Prepared?
We now know the dated that the Canada-United States- Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) (or USMCA under US terminology) will enter into effect to replace the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): July 1, 2020. This does not mean that the governments are ready to enforce CUSMA – Canada, United States and Mexico must now negotiate and…
Canada Continues Suspension of Military Export Permits to Turkey Indefinitely
On April 16, 2020, the Government of Canada issued Notice to Exporters Serial 992 “Notice to Exporters – Export of items listed on the Export Control List to Turkey” in which Canada announced that it will presumptively deny any new export permit application with respect to military goods on the Export Control List where the…