Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
According to an article in the American Shipper, the insurance market is wary of issuing customs bonds for Chinese agricultural shipments due to an epidemic of fraud by importers of some agricultural goods (e.g. mushrooms, crawfish tail meat, honey and fresh garlic) from China seeking to avoid high U.S. antidumping duties. (See ITT's Online Archives or 07/13/04 news, 04071305 for BP summary of new CBP guidelines for bonds for agriculture/aquaculture goods subject to antidumping duties.) (American Shipper 07/04)
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1. Sureties Stung by Antidumping Scams
2. Container Ships Operating from "Cold Iron" Call at Los Angeles Port
The Journal of Commerce reports that the first container ships with the ability to operate from shore-side electrical power while at berth (operating from "cold iron") have recently called at the Los Angeles port, and Long Beach may soon follow. (JoC, dated 06/28/04-07/04/04, www.joc.com)
3. ITA Submits Report to Congress on OECD Antibribery Convention
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has announced that the Commerce Secretary has submitted the sixth and final annual report to Congress on implementation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, which indicates that all 35 parties now have legislation in place that criminalizes bribery of foreign public officials by persons within their jurisdiction. (ITA press release, dated 06/29/04, available at http://www.ita.doc.gov/media/PressReleases/0604/bribery_062904.html)
4. USTR Seeks Comments on U.S.-Panama FTA Interim Environmental Review
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice on behalf of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) seeking comments by July 30, 2004 on the interim environmental review of the proposed U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement (FTA). (FR Pub 07/12/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-15705.pdf)
5. DHS Issues Order on Anchorage/Movement of Vessels into Cuban Waters
The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued an order which establishes regulations for governing the anchorage and movement of vessels into Cuban territorial waters, in order to implement Presidential Proclamation 7757. (Order 2004-001, FR Pub 07/08/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-15589.pdf)
6. USDA Advisory Committee Meeting on BSE, National Animal ID System
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a notice announcing that on August 4-5, 2004, the Secretary of Agriculture's Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases will meet to discuss issues related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and the national animal identification system. (FR Pub 07/16/04, D/N 04-069-1, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-16278.pdf.)
7. Census Seeks Comments on Plans to Share 2002 Economic Data with BEA
The Bureau of the Census (Census) is seeking comments by August 30, 2004 on its plans to provide certain business data, collected in its 2002 Economic Census, to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) for statistical purposes exclusively. (D/N 040616185-4185-01, FR Pub 06/30/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-14819.pdf)