On December 28, 2010, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) issued a proposed rule that, if adopted, could change significantly the calculation of the amount of duties owed in administrative reviews of antidumping duty orders. This change would entail abandonment of the DOC’s controversial “zeroing” methodology, which repeatedly has been found to be inconsistent with U.S.

The United States announced on December 22, 2010 that it has sought the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) intervention to address US concerns over support for the domestic wind power industry in the People’s Republic of China. According to US Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk, the United States filed a request for consultations with China under the WTO Agreement’s dispute settlement provisions concerning China’s Special Fund for Wind Power Manufacturing program. This request is the first step in a potential WTO case.

International Trade Update December 27, 2010

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk has announced that the U.S. and Yemen had successfully concluded bilateral market access negotiations as part of Yemen’s efforts to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The bilateral agreement provides new market access opportunities for U.S. providers of agriculture, goods and services, and sets the stage for Yemen to complete accession negotiations with WTO Members.

China, which supplies more than 90 percent of the world's rare earth minerals, will raise the export taxes for some elements to 25 percent 2011, the Ministry of Finance said.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the extension of a preferential trade deal that allows the duty-free import of many Colombian products. "The overwhelming vote in favor of the extension of the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) in the House of Representatives shows bipartisan support for this program and Colombia," the country's ambassador to Washington, Gabriel Silva, said in a press release.

FOZ DO IGUACU, Brazil, Dec 15, 2010 (AFP) – South America's Mercosur trade partners signed a preferential tariff deal Wednesday with several developing nations including India, officials said. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay formed Mercosur in 1991 with the aim of eventually creating a South American common market.

WASHINGTON (Dec. 15) -- The Obama administration said Wednesday that two days of talks with a high-level delegation from China produced results that should benefit U.S. companies ranging from manufacturers of computer software and wind turbines to beef producers.

GENEVA (Reuters) – Members of the World Trade Organization are showing new energy and determination to reach a global trade deal but must now abandon fixed positions to clinch the agreement, the head of the WTO said on Tuesday.

Geneva, 13 Dec (Kanaga Raja) -- In line with the proposed intensification of work on all fronts of the Doha Round of trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) from the beginning of next year, the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules is now set to accelerate its own work on the issues of anti-dumping and fisheries subsidies. This emerged during informal meetings of the Rules Group last week.