Legitimate law enforcement tools carry risk of abuse by Peter Quinter, guest columnist The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seizing a record number of bank accounts for money laundering. In summary, here is how it...
An End to the 16-Year Banana War?
Pending trade deal gives an edge to Latin America in the EU Well-intentioned it may have been, but the EU’s 1993 decision to slap tariffs on bananas from Latin America while allowing bananas from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to enter its markets...
Latin American HVAC/R Looks Hot
ACR Latino America cites Datamyne in optimistic outlook on compressor exports It is no secret that much of the economic performance of Latin American countries depends on the performance of its major trading partners, which tend to be the developed economies, led by...
Sizing up the Usual Suspects
Sorting out possible causes as yet another global food crisis looms The world’s poorest are at risk of being priced out of the market for food because … we’re burning corn and other staple crops for biofuel … the rising middle classes in the BRICs and beyond are...
FTAs: Good or Bad?
Americans may have soured on free trade, but isn’t it in their best interests? by Peter Quinter, guest columnist I am still troubled by the Wall Street Journal lead article on October 4, 2010, with the headline “Recession-Weary Americans Sour on Free Trade.” I asked...
New Rules for Food Imports
Food Safety Modernization Act broadens FDA oversight and enforcement authority Last May, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found room for improvement in the way the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the safety of U.S. food imports. Imports from...
Certifiably Sustainable Seafood
WWF’s Aquaculture Dialogues yield standards for farming tilapia and pangasius Just before Christmas, the WWF (World Wildlife Federation) released news that tilapia farmed in Indonesia and Honduras will be placed in a brand-new category within its seafood guide:...
Rates Matter Most
Reliability ranks second in survey of shippers’ criteria for carriers by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor Last month we did a survey asking what matters most to shippers when they choose an ocean carrier. Rates ranked as the top priority, garnering 41% of the votes,...
Colombia-Venezuela Thaw Continues
But unfreezing trade will take time We’ve written before on the diplomatic tit-for-tat that virtually shut down commerce between Colombia and Venezuela. After the erstwhile trading partners called it quits in July 2009, binational trade fell by more than 60%. One year...
Santa Snagged by Red Tape
Customs problems could prevent traditional, down-the-chimney deliveries by Peter Quinter, guest columnist Well, I just wanted to let you all know that Santa may not be coming this year to deliver all those wonderful holiday gifts. Because of incorrect Incoterms and...