Top 10 International Law Headlines from North America In an arbitration panel decision handed down on 31 August 2009, the World Trade Organization (WTO) clarified how and to what extent the industries of a WTO Member government may be targeted for countermeasures when the government has provided WTO-illegal subsidies. If you are traveling on business, you will likely take a laptop (or several electronic devices) with you on the trip. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has proposed amendments to its regulations that would preclude the filing of a "substitution drawback claim for internal revenue excise taxes paid on imported merchandise in situations where no excise tax was paid upon the substituted merchandise or where the substituted merchandise is the subject of a different claim for refund or drawbacks of taxes under any other provision of the Internal Revenue Code" of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"). On October 23, 2009, the Second Circuit definitively ruled in “Aguas Lenders Recovery Group LLC v. Suez, S.A (ALRG)” that U.S. forum selection clauses are enforceable against successors in interest under ordinary principles of contract law – even when the successor is a non-U.S. entity. Climate change and trade are inextricably linked. Increasingly, businesses will face cross-border differences in carbon regulation and related trade pressures. Canada's export control regime, regulated by multiple domestic laws, international agreements and diplomatic obligations can be difficult to navigate. A recent decision by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) demonstrates the complexity of international trade rules, as well as the resulting benefits to those companies who take extra care to work through them in detail. Two recent enforcement actions have set new records for penalties for violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The primary export controls and economic sanctions imposed bythe United States Government are under the authority of theTreasury Department, Commerce Department, and State Department. On September 8, 2009, several U.S. government agencies published long awaited regulations implementing the Cuba policies announced by the White House in April 2009. | 
