Pakistan's Cabinet reversed a government economic committee decision to import cotton and sugar from India, Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari tweeted April 1. Pakistan suspended trade with India in August 2019 after New Delhi revoked the autonomy for its part of the disputed Kashmir territory. The Cabinet discussed resuming trade once full autonomy had been restored to the region of Kashmir, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said, Bloomberg reported. The government economic committee initially responsible for the decision to resume trade did so to address cotton and sugar shortages and to stabilize prices for the commodities, Bloomberg said.

India's Director General of Foreign Trade extended until Sept. 30 the Handbook of Procedures under the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 and the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act of 1992. The DGFT made the announcement in a March 31 notice, the day the regulations were to expire.

Starting April 1, the Customs Branch of Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam will deploy an automated customs system for customs management and supervision, CustomsNews, the Vietnamese customs agency’s mouthpiece, reported April 1. The system will be used at two airport terminals, one managed by Tan Son Nhat Cargo Services Joint Stock Co. and the other by the Saigon Cargo Service Joint Stock Co.

After a week that had Swedish clothing retailer H&M see its stores disappear from maps in China and face boycotts (see 2103260021) over its comments relating to accusations of forced labor in China's Xinjiang region, the retail chain is attempting to rebuild trust with the Asian nation. In a March 31 statement, the H&M Group said it was working with its colleagues in China to maintain its long-term commitments. “We are dedicated to regaining the trust and confidence of our customers, colleagues, and business partners in China,” it said. “We believe we can take steps in our joint efforts to develop the fashion industry, as well as serve our customers and act in a respectful way.”

A Japanese trade official said Japan's subsidies to diversify and reshore supply chains have already spurred plans for domestic factories for semiconductors, battery components for electric vehicles, aircraft engine parts, household disinfectants, medicines, protective gowns and chemicals.

India will require registration of copper and aluminum imports under the Non-Ferrous Metal Import Monitoring System, according to a March 31 trade notice from the Director General of Foreign Trade. Specifically, imports under Chapter 74 and 76 of the India Trade Clarification based on the Harmonized System of Coding will require registration under NFMIMS. Chapter 74 includes copper and copper articles, while Chapter 76 includes aluminum and articles of aluminum.

The Philippines is requiring its trade regulatory government agencies to use TradeNet, the country’s online trade processing platform for import and export permits and applications, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said March 30. The mandate is expected to “slash” processing times and simplify permit procedures, HKTDC said. The requirement now goes beyond agencies that traditionally handle trade, such as government entities that oversee logistics and port operations, the retail sector, freeport zones, and agriculture and food. Agencies that don't comply with the mandate may face “administrative sanctions,” the report said.

Japan Customs added two customs authorities to its list of authorized entities capable of approving preferential tariff treatment under the nation's Generalized System of Preferences for Afghanistan and North Macedonia, the agency announced in a March 30 notice. Now the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment will be able to approve claims in the Central Asian nation (listed as Islamic Republic of Afghanistan), and the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia will do the same in that Eastern European country.

India's Director General of Foreign Trade established an online filing portal for Advance Authorizations of imports and exports, the agency announced in a March 30 trade notice. The portal can be used for “Redemption, Surrender, Duty Paid Regularization, Bond Waiver or the Clubbing of Advance Authorizations,” and they can be submitted on the DGFT website.

India's Director General of Foreign Trade extended the deadline for implementation of a component of the Track and Trace system for export of pharmaceuticals and drug consignments for both small scale industry (SSI) and non-SSI manufactured drugs until Jan. 4, 2022, the DGFT announced in a March 30 public notice. Implementation is delayed for the system's component dealing with maintaining the Parent-Child relationship in the levels of packaging and their movement in their supply chain and their uploading on the Central Portal.