Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
A Wall Street Journal News Roundup article states that a surge in textile exports helped widen China's trade surplus again last month, likely leading the U.S. to increase political pressure on China to let its currency appreciate. The article states that in the first quarter, China's exports surged 34.9% to $155.89 billion from a year earlier. (WSJ, dated 04/12/05, www.wsj.com )
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1. Surge in China's Textile Exports Keeps Heat on Yuan
2. Increasing Violence at the U.S. - Mexican Border
According to U.S. News and World Report, violence along the U.S.-Mexican border has exploded since summer 2004, due to the forging of a partnership between two rival drug kingpins, giving rise to a new worry that a lawless border region might become a springboard for terrorist attacks on Americans. The article notes that in January 2005, the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning about the deteriorating security situation on the Mexican side of the border. (U.S.News & World Report, dated 03/28/05)
3. U.S. to Return to WTO if EU Proceeds with Additional Subsidies for Airbus
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a statement that the U.S. and the European Union (EU) were not able to reach a comprehensive agreement by April 11, 2005 to end subsidies for the production and development of large civil aircraft. In the event that the EU proceeds with additional subsidies for Airbus large civil aircraft, USTR states that the U.S. will return to the WTO dispute settlement. (USTR statement, dated 04/08/05, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Spokesperson_Statements/USTR_Spokesman_Richard_Mills_Statement_On_the_Status_of_U.S.-EU_Large_Civil_Aircraft_Subsidy-Litigation_Talks.html)
4. U.S. Officials Travel to Asia to Advance STOP! Initiative
The USTR has announced that officials from seven federal agencies will travel to Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Singapore on April 11-21, 2005 to further Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!), which calls on federal agencies to partner with U.S. trading partners to crack down on global piracy and counterfeiting. USTR notes that outreach to Asia will be followed by visits to other regions in May 2005. (USTR press release, dated 04/11/05, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2005/April/U.S._Advances_Global_Outreach_to_STOP!_Trade_in_Fakes.html)
5. APHIS Finds No Significant Impact of BSE Minimal Risk Regions Final Rule
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a notice announcing that it has affirmed its January 2005 BSE final rule that would allow the import of certain animals and products from regions that present a minimal risk of introducing Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) to the U.S. APHIS states that it has found that there is no significant impact based on an environmental assessment of this final rule. (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/04/05 news, 05030410, for BP summary of a court order which preliminarily enjoins APHIS from implementing this final rule.) (D/N 03-080-7, FR Pub 04/08/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-7141.pdf)
6. CPSC Provisionally Accepts $1.2 Million Settlement for Certain Toasters
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a notice announcing that it has provisionally accepted a settlement agreement with Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex, Inc. containing a civil penalty of $1,200,000.00. CPSC alleges that certain countertop toasters imported by this company were defective because their heating element failed to turn off properly. Written comments and requests that the CPSC not accept this agreement are due by April 21, 2005. (CPSC D/N 05-C0007, FR Pub 04/06/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-6659.pdf)