European Union and China to boost cooperation in custom controls and tackling counterfeit goods
Algirdas Šemeta, EU Commissioner for Taxation, Customs Union, Anti-Fraud and Audit, will open tomorrow an international conference at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 on building bridges to facilitate trade between China and the EU. The aim of the conference is to explore ways to enhance further customs cooperation between the EU and China, in order to allow a smooth trade flow between both sides while providing citizens with a high level of protection. Securing the supply chain, tackling smuggling (particularly of cigarettes) and protecting intellectual property rights will be high on the agenda. China is the EU’s second trading partner after the USA and its biggest source of imports. The EU is China’s largest export market. Both the EU and China therefore have a real interest in ensuring that safe, genuine and legal products can easily enter each other’s markets. Commissioner Šemeta will spend 3 days in China, discussing key issues related to customs and anti-fraud measures with national authorities and business representatives, and will visit the port of Shanghai to see first-hand how Chinese customs controls operate.
EU-China Trade: Facts and Figures
China is the single most important challenge for EU trade policy. EU-China trade has increased dramatically in recent years. China is now the EU’s 2nd trading partner behind the USA and the biggest source of imports. The EU is China’s biggest trading partner. China is set to be the biggest national exporter in the global economy in 2009. China now accounts for about 9% of world trade in goods. Total bilateral trade between the EU and China was worth €326 billion in 2008.
Mattel fined $2.3 mln for tainted toys from China
* Mattel fined for lead-tainted toys from China
* Law bans toys with more than 0.06 pct lead in coatings Adds details throughout)
WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday it fined Mattel Inc (MAT.N) $2.3 million for violating a ban on bringing dangerous products into the United States.
EU and China to hold high-level economic and trade talks
The European Commission and the Chinese government continue their close working relationship with high-level economic and trade talks in Brussels. EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton and Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan will chair the second meeting of the High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue (HED). A further eight EU Commissioners and a total of 12 Chinese ministers or vice-ministers are set to participate in far-reaching talks aimed at strengthening the trade and investment relationship in order to speed recovery in the current economic crisis.
