Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
American Shipper reports that proposed food safety legislation by U.S. Senators Harkin and Kohl would give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to make its current voluntary guidelines mandatory. The bill would also require stepped-up inspections of produce operations as well as the establishment of national standards tailored to specific commodities and risk factors. (American Shipper, dated 09/24/07, www.americanshipper.com)
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
1. Proposed Bill on Food Safety Would Make FDA Guidelines Mandatory, Etc.
2. WTO Rules in Favor of U.S. in Rice Dispute With Turkey
U.S. Department of Agriculture Acting Secretary Chuck Conner issued a statement on the recent World Trade Organization panel finding in favor of the U.S. in the rice dispute with Turkey, stating it is great news for American rice producers. (Acting Secretary's statement, USDA Release No. 0259.07, dated 09/21/07, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout.asp?Entry=valid&PrNum=0106-07)
3. President Continues Exercise of Certain Authorities Under Enemy Act
The President has issued a determination that continues for one year the exercise of certain authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act with respect to countries affected by: (1) the Foreign Asset Control Regulations; (2) the Transaction Control Regulations; and (3) the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. (Presidential Det. No. 2007-32, FR Pub 09/18/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-4653.pdf)
4. APHIS Issues Technical Amendment for Reorganized Cold Treatment Regs
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a technical amendment, effective August 31, 2007, which indicates how the changes in its July 2 interim rule on the phytosanitary treatment regulations for cold treatment will appear as they have been reorganized by its July 18 final rule, which moved requirements regarding cold treatment that had previously been contained in the fruits and vegetables regulations to the regulations containing cold treatment requirements. (D/N APHIS-2006-0050, FR Pub 08/31/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-17295.pdf)
5. Extended Import Restrictions on Archaeological Material from Guatemala
The Department of the Treasury has issued a final rule, effective September 29, 2007, which amends U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the extension of import restrictions on certain archaeological material from Guatemala for an additional 5 years. (CBP Dec. 07-79; USCBP-2007-0074, FR Pub 09/26/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-4748.pdf)
6. FDA Corrects Notice on Oct. 10 Preparatory Meeting for International Harmonization Conference
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a correction to an earlier notice announcing a public meeting on October 10, 2007 in preparation for the upcoming International Conference on Harmonization in Japan. The notice corrects the time scheduled for public oral presentations as being 2:30-3:00 pm (from 4:30-5:00 pm) and the date by which those desiring to make oral presentations should notify the contact person to October 2, 2007 (from April 2, 2007). (FDA correction notice, D/N 2007N-0304, FR Pub 08/27/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-16892.pdf)