US Tyre Recall Saga Could Be Over

Foreign Tire Sales Inc.’s quarter-million US recall of Hangzhou Zhongce-produced tyres will end on 25 October, according to US news sources. At the same time US and Chinese regulators are expected to sign a cooperation agreement that could help resolve disputes like this. However, according to media reports, this is not the first time such an approach has been taken. The Consumer Product Safety Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with its Chinese counterpart three years ago.

This week’s Sino-U.S. Consumer Product Safety Summit brings together the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and China’s General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, as well as representatives of American companies that import toys, fireworks and cigarette lighters from China. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a $63 million budget and a full-time staff of about 400 people to monitor billions of dollars’ worth of goods. Legislation is in the works to strengthen the agency.