Whisky to Flow Freely

And that’s not all as FTAs come into force July 1 Here’s a new take on the classic UK-centric newspaper headline, “Fog in Channel. Continent Cut off.” The BBC reports that “South Korea lifts Scotch whisky import barriers”. True, as far as it goes: Effective today, a...

Troubled Waters

Hurricanes, oil spills, and now flooding feed the dead zone The Gulf of Mexico’s “dead zone” is forecast to cover 8,500 to 9,421 square miles – an area the size of New Hampshire – this summer, surpassing the record set in 2002, reports the National Oceanic and...

Happier Returns

Carnets cut costs when your goods are only temporary exports by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor If you’re traveling internationally, you need a passport to get back home. Normally, if you’re shipping, it’s because you have sold the goods. But what if you’re shipping...

Bruised Rep

Not another Weiner story: this time it’s homegrown apples A Wall Street Journal story that the US Department of Agriculture found residues of 48 different pesticides in a recent sampling of apples bruises the reputation (and possibly sales) of America’s second most...

Made in Korea?

Gearing up to crack down on false claims to FTA tariff treatment The Korea Customs Service (KCS) announced it is proactively starting to prohibit third-party goods from falsely claiming Korean origin. This in expectation that false claims will rise as free trade...

With Apologies to Meryl Streep

When the actress plays a role, it’s artistry. When tilapia is passed off as snapper, it’s fraud. We called it “cluck-cluck cutlet of the sea” – without much flavor of its own, tilapia takes on the flavors of the other ingredients in a range of recipes. Now the New...

Export Enforcement in Focus

New names, new priorities at the Bureau of Industry and Security by Peter Quinter, guest columnist Earlier this spring, David Mills, the new Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), US Department of Commerce, and his Special...

Not a Party

Countries left out of FTAs lose out on trade Proponents of the free trade agreements awaiting Congressional approval often argue their case by pointing to the boost FTAs will give to US exports. So, for instance, the US Department of Agriculture projects the US-Panama...

Trade Beef

US cattleman urges action on FTAs as competitors vie for overseas markets The US agricultural sector pressed its case for ratification of pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea before the US House of Representatives Committee on...