Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The State Department's Washington File reports that Congress has sent President Bush the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) Act for his signature, which is expected. A Presidential Proclamation is still needed for implementation. (Washington File, dated 12/07/07, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=December&x=20071205114240AKllennoCcM0.5224726 )
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1. Congress Sends Peru FTA Act to President for Signature
2. EU Initiates Pre-Accession Agreement with Bosnia
The Parliament reports that the European Union recently initiated a pre-accession agreement with Bosnia-Herzegovina, after the country's rival ethnic leaders agreed on a set of reforms. (Parliament, dated 12/04/07, available at http://www.theparliament.com/EN/Bulletins/PressReview/Items/200712/f1daf592-e7e7-4c97-ba9d-a93e6e78ccba.htm)
3. Coast Guard Imposes Entry Conditions on Vessels from Cameroon
Port Security News reports that the Coast Guard has issued a notice imposing conditions of entry on vessels arriving in the U.S. from ports in Cameroon since the country has not undertaken effective anti-terrorism measures. (Port Security News, dated 12/03/07, available at http://portsecuritynews.com/news/templates/registered.asp?articleid=1839&zoneid=1)
4. Cigarette Importer Agrees to $3.1 Million Additional Fine for Reporting Understated Weights
The Justice Department has issued a press release announcing that Premier Manufacturing, Inc., a South Carolina cigarette importer, has agreed to pay an additional $3.1 million to settle civil claims that between 1995 and 2002, it deliberately understated the weights of cigarettes that it imported. (Press release, dated 12/04/07, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2007/December/07_civ_966.html)
5. FSIS Updates Its Export Requirements for Japan, Colombia, Canada
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has updated its export requirements for: Japan, Japan (egg), Colombia, and Canada. (Export requirements, updated 12/04/07 & 12/07/07, available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Index_of_Import_Requirements_by_Country/index.asp)
6. FDA Extends Comment Period on Its UVA/UVB Requirements for Sunscreens Proposed Rule
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice announcing that it is extending to December 26, 2007 the comment period on its proposed rule to amend the final monograph for over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen drug products to address formulation, labeling, and testing requirements for both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation protection. (See ITT's Online Archives or 08/29/07 news, 07082999 7, for BP summary of the proposed rule.)(D/N 1978N-0038 (formerly 78N-0038), FR Pub 11/28/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-5853.pdf)
7. FDA Reopens Comment Period for Hearing on Use of Symbols on Food Labels, Etc.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice reopening the comment period to January 15, 2008 for a July 2007 notice of a public hearing in September 2007 on the use of symbols to communicate nutrition information on food labels, etc. (See ITT's Online Archives or 08/01/07 news, 07080199 3, for BP summary of the FDA's notice of public hearing.) (FDA notice reopening the comment period, D/N 2007N-0277, FR Pub 11/30/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23211.pdf)
8. FDA Issues Several Notices on CGMPs for Finished Pharmaceuticals
The Food and Drug Administration has issued three notices concerning the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for finished pharmaceuticals as follows: (1) a direct final rule modernizing and clarifying certain regulations as the first phase of an incremental approach to modifying the CGMP regulations, etc; (2) a substantially identical companion proposed rule to provide a procedural framework to finalize the rule in the event the FDA receives any significant adverse comments and withdraws the direct final rule; and (3) a withdrawal of the FDA's May 1996 proposed rule to amend certain requirements of the CGMP regulations as it has decided to take a different approach. (FDA notices, D/Ns 2007N-0280 and 1995N-0362, FR Pub 12/04/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23294.pdf, http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23292.pdf, and http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23271.pdf)
9. USDA Reports FY 2008 Record Increase Forecast for Agricultural Trade
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a report on the outlook for U.S. agricultural trade, in which it states that fiscal year 2008 agricultural exports are forecast at a record $91 billion. The report states that while high-value product exports are rising, bulk commodities account for three quarters of the year-to-year increase in agricultural export value, and revisions for wheat, coarse grains, soybeans, and a broad set of animal products drive most of the export increase since August 2007. (USDA report, dated 11/30/07, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/cmp/outlook/2007/Nov-07/AES-11-30-2007.pdf)
10. APHIS Amends Nursery Stock Rule for Agar Tissue Culture Medium Only
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a notice of technical amendment to its August 6, 2007 final rule regarding the importation of nursery stock, which included allowing the importation of restricted articles in tissue culture medium that is not transparent or translucent. APHIS is amending the regulation to clarify its intent to only allow the use of agar or agar-like tissue culture medium. (See ITT's Online Archives or 08/20/07 news, 07082025, for BP summary of the final rule.) (D/N 03-002-6, FR Pub 11/30/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23282.pdf)
11. NRC Requests Comments on Draft Revision to Safe Transport Regulations
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a notice seeking public comment on a draft revision of the International Atomic Energy Agency's "Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material" (TS-R-1), which is scheduled for publication in 2009. The NRC and Department of Transportation jointly will be submitting comments on the draft document to the IAEA. The NRC is requesting input from the public to assist in developing the U.S. comments, which will be accepted until January 4, 2008. (FR Pub 11/21/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/30nov20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22759.pdf)
12. FAS Issues Reports on Gulf Council Food Labels, Korea Quarantine Inspections, Mexico Forest Products
The Foreign Agricultural Service has issued three Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) reports on the following:
The Gulf Cooperation Council's approval of new standards governing expiration periods and food labeling to address shelf life and continue some requirements that have complicated the export process in the past;
Korea's shut off of quarantine inspection of U.S. beef on October 5, 2007; and
the expansion of the Mexican market for imported forest products due to growth of the furniture manufacturing industry, etc.
(GAIN reports TC7026 (dated 12/03/07); and KS7067 & MX7307 (dated 11/01/07) available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200711/146293093.pdf; http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200710/146292831.pdf; and http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200710/146292840.pdf, respectively.)
13. DHS' OIG Report on TSA's Need to Strengthen IT Management
The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General has issued a report entitled, "Information Technology Management Needs to Be Strengthened at the Transportation Security Administration," which addresses how well TSA manages IT to accomplish its mission of overseeing the security of the nation's transportation systems. (OIG-08-07, dated October 2007, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200710/146292840.pdf)
14. Recent CPSC Press Releases on Recalls
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued separate press releases (dated 10/01/07 - 10/31/07) announcing that the following companies, in cooperation with the CPSC, are voluntarily recalling the products listed below. Due to the large number of recalls, this is Part VI, the final part of a multi-part series of summaries. (Press releases available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prereloct07.html)
| Asterisk (*) indicates recall due to violation of lead paint standard |
15. Various Agencies Seek Comments on Information Collections
Various U.S. government agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget approval or extension of approval (see notices for specific details):
| Agency | Information Collection | Comments Due/Status |
|---|---|---|
| BIS 1 | Procedures for Acceptance or Rejection of a Rated Order | 01/28/08 |
| BIS 2 | Export and Reexport Controls for Iraq | 01/28/08 |
| BIS 3 | Technology Letter of Explanation | 12/27/07 |
| Census | Shipper's Export Declaration (SED)/Automated Export System (AES) Program | 02/01/08 |
| EPA | Reformulated Gasoline and Conventional Gasoline: Requirements for Refiners, Oxygenated Blenders, and Importers of Gasoline, Requirements for Parties in the Gasoline Distribution Network (Renewal) | 12/27/07 |
| FDA 1 | Color Additive Certification Requests and Recordkeeping | 01/02/08 |
| FDA 2 | Current Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations for Type A Medicated Articles | 01/02/08 |
| ITA 1 | ITA Environmental Technologies Non-Tariff Barriers Survey | 12/27/07 |
| ITA 2 | Information on Articles for Physically or Mentally Handicapped Persons Imported Free of Duty | 12/27/07 |
| TSA | Transportation Worker Identification Credential Program | 02/01/08 |
| TTB 1 | Notice of Release of Tobacco Products, Cigarette Papers, or Cigarette Tubes | 12/31/07 |
| TTB 2 | Usual and Customary Business Records Maintained by Brewers | 12/31/07 |
| TTB 3 | Recordkeeping for Tobacco Products Removed In Bond from a Manufacturer's Premises for Experimental Purposes | 12/31/07 |
BIS 1 & 2 Information Collections (FR Pub 11/27/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22993.pdf
BIS 3 Information Collection (FR Pub 11/27/07 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22994.pdf
Census Information Collection (FR Pub 12/03/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23311.pdf
EPA Information Collection (FR Pub 11/27/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23074.pdf
FDA 1 Information Collection (FR Pub 12/03/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23352.pdf
FDA 2 Information Collection (FR Pub 12/03/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23351.pdf
ITA 1 & 2 Information Collections (FR Pub 11/27/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22997.pdf
TSA Information Collection (FR Pub 12/03/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23388.pdf
TTB 1, 2, & 3 Information Collections (FR Pub 11/29/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23156.pdf