EU Government Notices for Oct. 3-4

The European Union issued the following trade-related releases Oct. 3-4 (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):

• New scheme for tariffs. The European Council adopted a regulation amending the EU's scheme of generalized tariff preferences (GSP) for developing countries. Preferences will now be concentrated on least developed, low income and lower middle-income countries, taking account of changing economic and trade patterns and acknowledging the economic crisis. There are five areas of focus for the reforms: country coverage, preference margins and product coverage, product graduation, "GSP+," and special safeguards. (here)