Australia plans to assess the effectiveness of its low-value imported goods regime to determine if it’s functioning as intended, KPMG said July 6. The regime, which was implemented in 2018, was scheduled to be reviewed after two years to address common issues that might have arisen, including suppliers failing to “identify their requirement” to register and collect goods and services tax and “difficulties in establishing the flow of information,” KPMG said. The firm said the review is expected to be completed in December.

China's General Administration of Customs imposed a notification and commitment system to aid with certification of certain elements on imported dairy inspection reports, it said in a July 5 announcement, according to an unofficial translation. The system is meant to optimize China's business environment in accordance with new guidelines on certification matters and enterprise business license matters.

Exporters in the Philippines are now responsible for documenting the verified gross mass of their packed containers when using ports operated by the Philippine Ports Authority, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 2. The measure, which took effect June 16, requires exporters to submit their gross mass information to the carrier and terminal operator and make sure it’s documented in their shipping documents. The responsibility previously fell on the terminal operator.

Basmati and non-basmati rice exports heading from India to European Union member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are permitted so long as they have a certificate of inspection from the Export Inspection Council/Export Inspection Agency of India, India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a July 1 notice. Starting Jan. 1, 2022, the same certificate of inspection requirement will apply to all other European countries.

India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade temporarily lifted restrictions on the import for refined bleached deodorized palm oil and refined bleached deodorized palm olein, a June 30 notice said. Imports under the Harmonized System codes 1511.90.10, 1511.90.20 and 1511.90.90 will no longer be subject to import restrictions, through Dec. 31. One condition of the new import policy is that none of the items under the HS codes described may enter through any port in Kerala.

The maximum number of items an importer or exporter can claim under the certificate of origin provision in the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement increased from 20 to 50, the Chinese customs agency announced in a June 29 news release, according to an unofficial translation. The change is effective Sept. 1.

Kazakhstan recently announced the second stage of its 2021 tariff rate quotas for certain types of imported meat and poultry products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 29 report. The report includes a table of the specific allotted import volumes of beef and poultry per specific importer under a preferential customs rate.

South Korea Customs published a June 30 guidance for the implementation of free trade agreement customs duties for travelers' belonging from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey and the European Free Trade Association, according to an unofficial translation. The application of simple customs procedures for travelers' carry-on items will be expanded to travelers from the EU, the U.K., Turkey and the EFTA. The declaration of origin written in the attached form will be accepted from these travelers. A purchase receipt or certificate of origin when applying for preferential treatment submission will now be allowed.

Although COVID-19 pandemic-related slowdowns are affecting ports in south China and Taiwan, Hong Kong ports appear to be operating smoothly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 28 report. USDA said Hong Kong ports are accustomed to running with a “high degree of efficiency” and are able to process the more “frequent route changes during the pandemic” despite increased demand for services. However, turnaround times in Hong Kong have increased beyond the two- to three-hour norm as more shipping lines have larger transshipment volumes, the report said. The report also includes information on increased market freight prices.

China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recently issued a notice seeking comments on new measures affecting licensing for a range of agricultural items and drugs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 28 report. The measures apply to licensing requirements including for veterinary drug registration, pesticide registration, planting seed variety registration and the biotechnology approval processes, USDA said. Parties with “administrative matters falling under MARA’s purview” should consider submitting comments to the agency by the July 2 deadline.