Oh no
The process of implementing a rule change for product labeling that began last year may mean more work and expense for some importers, but so far it’s a little hard to tell exactly where the process stands.
The new rule, which requires additional information on energy consumption for some electric products, is ostensibly aimed at lowering overall energy consumption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help consumers lower their electric bills. But tracking exactly what is required and when has not been easy.
In September 2010, the Secretaría de Energía published a list of electric appliances for household and commercial uses that will be required to declare the product energy consumption in Spanish on a label directly on the product. Affected products include vacuum cleaners, blenders, coffee makers, juice extractors, air conditioners, refrigerators, microwave ovens, irons and hair dryers, among others. The full list of products can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »
Good news for business travel to Mexico: As of May 16, Mexico began issuing and accepting ATA Carnets for the temporary importation of merchandise. For those not familiar with the system, an ATA Carnet works like a passport for merchandise that is not intended to be sold or otherwise left in a country to which a business person travels. This is particularly advantageous for goods such as product samples, trade show equipment, promotional materials and other professional equipment. By obtaining an ATA Carnet prior to business travel, qualifying goods may be taken to any participating country for up to one year, free of duties and other taxes, as long as the goods are not sold in the country and depart in the same condition in which they entered. With Mexico on board, 71 countries now participate in the ATA Carnet network. For those of us involved in U.S.-Mexico and Europe-Mexico trade, the new development means a significant reduction in documentation and cost for business travel to Mexico with equipment and samples.
As the U.S. economy doggedly continues to send mixed signals, events in the Middle East have the world biting its fingernails and Mexico’s internal problems capture headlines, the Mexican economy inexplicably appears to be doing better than it should. While weak points are numerous, positive signs still accrue: Official unemployment was set at 4.6% in March, the lowest level since December 2008. First quarter results brought indications of a revival of the domestic market, as heavy truck sales jumped 43% over 1Q10, auto sales rose 12% for the same period, and retail sales edged up over 1Q10 as well. The peso continued to pummel the dollar, with gains of 6.8% so far this year, but despite this exports have been strong. Exports of electric and electronic goods were up 16% through the first two months of the year over the same period in 2010, and interestingly, exports of pork to Japan are running 30% ahead of last year despite – or because of? – the earthquake and tsunami catastrophe. The IMF provided a rare moment of satisfaction for Mexican authorities this month by upgrading its GDP projection for the country to 4.6% for the current year – just slightly above the projection for Brazil, the heralded BRIC economy and Mexico’s archrival in Latin America. These details, of course, don’t by themselves add up to a shining panorama of unbridled optimism. But considering the unprecedented levels of violence brought on by the drug wars, you’d kinda think things would be going worse than they are economically. Let’s see what we’re saying about this topic a few months from now.
As 2009 draws to a close, Mexico, like many countries, will be happy to see the back of this year. Not only did 2009 see the worst economic decline in decades, but the steep recession was exacerbated by the outbreak of the H1N1 flu in April, which had a devastating effect on tourism and, to a lesser degree, business travel. Mexico’s deep economic integration with the United States is a key motor for the economy, and as a result, the contraction of demand for vehicles and other durable goods in the U.S.A. hit Mexico’s productive sector hard. The first two quarters of the year were practically catastrophic, as the precipitous dropoff in demand for vehicles led to layoffs and temporary plant closings in Mexico’s large vehicle manufacturing industry. Tourism, hit by the one-two punch of the slumping U.S. economy and then the flu outbreak in April, is showing tepid signs of recovery, but the sector is still expected to close the year approximately 20% below 2008 levels.
