Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
Reuters reports that Canadian officials have stated that Canada is entering a difficult final phase of free-trade negotiations with South Korea and will need to secure a deal in order to compete with the U.S. in Asia. The article further quotes a Canadian official as stating that unless there are some breakthroughs in the negotiations, the free trade agreement may not be signed by the end of 2007. (Reuters, dated 10/23/07, available at http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticnews&storyID=2007-10-23T214619Z_01_N23331612_RTRIDST_0_CANADA-TRADE-KOREA-COL.XML.)
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1. Canada Enters Difficult Phase of FTA Negotiations with South Korea
2. Gap Responds to Allegations of Use of Child Labor in India
The Gap Inc. has issued a press release in response to a United Kingdom media report on the use of child labor in an unauthorized facility that produced a product for Gap. According to Gap, a small portion of a particular order placed with one of its vendors was apparently subcontracted to an unauthorized subcontractor without Gap's knowledge or approval. Gap states that an investigation was immediately launched. (Gap press release, dated 10/28/07, available at http://www.gapinc.com/public/Media/Press_Releases/med_pr_vendorlabor102807.shtml.)
3. China Establishes its First Textile Index System
The China Textile Network Co., Ltd. has issued a news release which reports that China's Ministry of Commerce announced on October 21, 2007 the establishment of China's first textile index system, which will be based on data collected by the China Textile City, one of the largest textile distribution centers in the world. According to the notice, the system includes the price index, the business index, the export index and the order index, which will reflect the price movement of the domestic textile market, ups and downs of the textile export market, and the change of orders accepted by textile producers and operators. (Press release, dated 10/25/07, available at http://www.ctei.gov.cn/english/e_show.asp?xx=5794.)
4. CBP Final Rule Revises List of User Fee Airports in 19 CFR Part 122
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a final rule, effective October 23, 2007, which revises the list of user fee airports in 19 CFR Part 122 to reflect those that have been currently designated by CBP. Specifically, CBP's final rule adds new airports, deleted certain former airports, and reflects changes that have occurred in the names of certain existing user fee airports. (CBP final rule, CBP Dec. 07-83, FR Pub 10/23/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-20803.pdf.)
5. APHIS Corrects Typo in Recent Final Rule on BSE Minimal-Risk Regions
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a correction of a typographical error in its September 18, 2007 final rule which will allow the import of live bovines, certain bovine products from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, aka mad cow disease) minimal-risk regions under certain conditions. (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/20/07 news, 07092010, for BP summary of APHIS' final rule.) (APHIS correction, FR Pub 10/15/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/C7-4595.pdf.)
6. DHS Determines to Waive Certain Requirements for Border Fence in AZ
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a notice, effective October 26, 2007, announcing that the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined, pursuant to law, that it is necessary to waive certain laws, regulations and other legal requirements in order to ensure the expeditious construction of physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the international land border of the U.S. in Arizona. (DHS notice, FR Pub 10/26/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-21125.pdf.)