EU: New rules on safe third countries and safe countries of origin lists
The European Commission welcomed the adoption by the European Parliament of new rules to make it easier for Member States to apply the safe third country concept and the first EU list of safe countries of origin. The new rules will further strengthen the EU's asylum system by speeding up and streamlining the processing of asylum applications for member states. The regulations now need to be formally adopted by the Council before they enter into force, 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
Colombia Implements Single Use Plastic Tax
In a ruling published on February 9, 2026, the Colombian Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN) established the National Tax on Single-Use Plastic Products Used in Imports (IPUSUI). The tax is applicable to containers, packing and packaging made of single-use plastics that are imported into Colombia. The IPUSUI is calculated based on the plastic weight content expressed in grams. Entry into force was the day of publication. Source
EU: Pallet packaging exempt from the requirement for 100% reuse
The European Commission has decided that packaging and belts used to secure goods on pallets during transport will not have to comply with the EU's 100% reuse reusability requirement set out in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). This sustainable approach reinforces the EU's commitment to the development of the circular economy, while recognising operational feasibility.
European Commission has launched negotiations on steel measures
EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič represented the European Commission in the first trilogue negotiations on a future steel measure to address the negative effects of global overcapacity. Negotiations between the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council will focus on the swift finalisation of the text so that the measure can be fully implemented by 1 July 2026, when the current safeguard measure expires.
EU adopts a common list of safe countries of origin
Regulation (EU) 2026/464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 February 2026 has been published, updating Regulation (EU) 2024/1348, establishing the first common list of safe countries of origin at Union level. The aim of the changes is to unify the approach of member states to asylum procedures and to shorten the time it takes to process applications from countries considered safe. The act introduces uniform criteria for assessing the security of third countries and ensures greater consistency of decisions across the EU. This is to improve the functioning of the Common European Asylum System, reduce differences in national practices and increase the predictability of procedures. The regulation enters into force on 27 February 2026. The Regulation is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
EU updates the SSbD framework: new rules for chemicals and materials
The European Commission has adopted Recommendation (EU) 2026/510, which reforms the European framework for the assessment of chemicals and materials " safe and sustainable by design" (SSbD). The new guidelines replace the previous 2022 framework and are intended to support industrial transformation in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal.
EU announces €458 million in humanitarian aid for the war-torn Middle East
The European Commission is confirming €458 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt in 2026. With major donors withdrawing from the region and international humanitarian law under unprecedented strain, the EU is sustaining life-saving assistance to millions of people.
EU : The first price of the CBAM certificate will be published on April 7, 2026
The implementation of the EU's Carbon Border Price Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) reaches a new milestone: the European Commission will soon publish the first quarterly price of CBAM certificates. Importers of CBAM goods will need to purchase CBAM certificates from February 2027 to cover their imports in 2026. Unlike in 2027, when the Commission will calculate the weekly price, in 2026 the price of CBAM certificates will be calculated on the basis of the quarterly average of the settlement prices of emission allowances under the EU ETS. This will ensure a fair and transparent carbon price, in line with the EU's carbon market.
EU: Increased action against dangerous products in the EU in 2025
The EU stepped up its fight against unsafe products last year, with alerts through its rapid warning system rising 13% to 4,671, the highest level on record. The figures come from the European Commission’s annual Safety Gate report. Safety Gate is the EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products, allowing authorities from the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) to quickly circulate information and to take swift action. Cosmetics and toys accounted for over half of the reported cases. There was also an increase of 35% in reported follow-up actions for the same period, with measures including withdrawing or recalling products, stopping them at the borders and removing product listing from online marketplaces. The increase in alerts and reported actions shows the growing effectiveness of the alert system. Over the past years, the EU has modernised its laws on product safety, especially through the General Product Safety Regulation that came into force in 2024. The regulation requires online marketplaces active in the EU to register in the Safety Gate Portal and to provide their single point of contact. By the end of 2025, more than 1,200 online marketplaces had registered.
Peru strengthens import controls on poultry and Turkey products
Peru has tightened its import regulations for poultry products, introducing stricter controls on live birds and processed turkey parts as part of efforts to enhance biosecurity and food safety. The updated measures, enforced by the National Service of Agrarian Health, apply to imports of live roosters and hens (HS 0105) as well as turkey liver, heart, gizzards, and legs (HS 0207). Under the new framework, importers must comply with enhanced phytosanitary certification requirements, undergo more rigorous inspections at entry points, and meet additional sanitary and traceability obligations. Authorities indicated that the move is aimed at preventing the entry of animal diseases and ensuring the safety of food products entering the country.
United States: CIT Includes Brazil and India Tariffs in IEEPA Refund Order
In an amended order on March 20, 2026, the Court of International Trade (CIT) announced that the tariffs imposed on Brazil and India are to be included in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) refund process being developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As part of the order, CBP will need to provide a progress report to the court on the completion of the IEEPA refund process on March 31, 2026. Source
United States: ACE to Allow ATA Carnet Electronic Truck Manifest Filing
In a Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) bulletin published on March 17, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) would be enhanced to allow users to provide ATA Carnet information as part of an electronic truck manifest filing. This change will enable manifest filers to select “Carnet” as a bill of lading type in the truck manifest trade portal, giving CBP visibility in advance to help reduce processing time. This ACE enhancement will go into effect on March 24, 2026.
United States: CBP Issues Guidance on Submission of Ocean Manifests for U.S. Virgin Islands
In a Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) bulletin published on February 27, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided guidance on the implementation of electronic submission of ocean cargo manifests at U.S. Virgin Islands ports of entry. CBP will require carriers to submit all ocean cargo manifests electronically through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) at the U.S. Virgin Island ports of St. Thomas, St, Croix, and St. John. This applies to direct foreign shipments, in-bond shipments, and shipments that originate from the U.S. and Puerto Rico. This requirement to file electronic manifests went into effect on March 7, 2026.
United States: CBP Updates DIS Implementation Guide
In a Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) published on March 18, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that it had updated the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Document Image System (DIS) Implementation Guide. This update added new document label codes for the reauthorized Preferential Trade Legislative (PTL) programs: African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Haiti Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE), and Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP). Source
United States: CIT & CBP Announce New CAPE System for IEEPA Refunds
CBP has developed a new refund system called the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, within its existing Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal. It is the official mechanism by which importers and customs brokers will claim refunds for duties assessed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). IEEPA duties — identified by HTS Chapter 99 classification numbers were levied on a broad range of imports. CAPE creates a streamlined, automated path for those who paid IEEPA charges to recover those funds through the official CBP system. The system is designed with four tightly integrated components that carry a refund request from initial submission through validation, duty recalculation, formal liquidation or reliquidation, and finally electronic payment. Each component hands off to the next automatically, minimizing manual intervention and refund timelines.
USTR Publishes 2026 Trade Policy Agenda
In a press release published on March 2, 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it had delivered the President’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda and 2025 Annual Report to Congress. The 2026 Trade Policy Agenda is focused on the following:
- Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) Program;
- Enforcement of United States trade laws;
- Securing supply chains for critical minerals and sectors;
- Reviewing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA);
- Managing Trade with China for reciprocity and balance and
- Promoting U.S. interests in international fora.
The President’s Trade Policy Agenda and Annual Report are due to Congress each year by March 1.
USTR Seeks Comments on Trade in Critical Minerals
In a press release published on February 26, 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) invited public comments on the “design of a plurilateral Agreement on Trade in Critical Minerals and policy actions to enhance the resilience of critical mineral supply chains.”
USTR is seeking input on trade policies intended to:
- Increase the domestic availability of mined, refined, and processed critical minerals;
- Incentivize the reshoring of the mining, processing, refining and production of critical minerals and their derivatives; and
- Diversify sources of mined, refined, and processed critical minerals and their derivatives among like-minded trading partners. Source
United States: OFAC Issues Venezuela General License
In February 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued five General Licenses regarding transactions in Venezuela.
General Licenses 46A, 47, 48, 49, and 50A authorize various types of transactions involving "the Government of Venezuela, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest." Subject to specified restrictions, authorized transactions include:
- Certain activities involving Venezuelan-origin oil;
- Sale of U.S.-origin dilutents;
- Supply of certain items and services related to the exploration, development, or production of oil and gas in Venezuela; and
- Negotiation of contracts related to investment in oil and gas operations in Venezuela. The General Licenses were published on OFAC's website between February 3 and February 18, 2026.