Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council has issued a press release announcing that the China Textile Industry Association has predicted that textile and apparel exports from China will continue double-digit growth in 2008, but at a slightly lower growth rate than 2007. (HKTDC, dated 01/29/08, available at http://garments.tdctrade.com/content.aspx?data=garments_content_en&contentid=1006445&w_sid=194&w_pid=679&w_nid=10353&w_cid=1006445&w_idt=1900-01-01&w_oid=343&w_jid=)
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1. Slightly Lowered Growth Expected in 2008 for Textiles, Apparel from China
2. NAM Against Expanding Public Nuisance Lawsuits into Product Liability
The National Association of Manufacturers has issued a press release announcing that it has joined six other associations in filing an amicus brief asking the Rhode Island Supreme Court to overrule a lower court decision which NAM says applied a so called "public nuisance" lawsuit to product litigation in a case involving lead-based paints. NAM states that the lower court decision "vastly expanded" the reach of public "nuisance lawsuits." (NAM press release with link to the amicus brief, dated 01/30/08, available at http://www.nam.org/s_nam/doc1.asp?CID=14&DID=239934)
3. USDA Announces U.S. Has Achieved Brucellosis Free Status for Cattle
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a press release announcing that for the first time in the 74-year history of the brucellosis program, all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have simultaneously achieved Class Free status for cattle, with Texas being the last and final state to be declared brucellosis free. (Class Free status is based on a state finding no known brucellosis in cattle for the 12 months preceding designation as Class Free.) (USDA, Release No. 0027.08, dated 02/01/08, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2008%2F02%2F0027.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NEWS_RELEASE)
4. USTR, Ag Secretary Oppose Recommendations on NAFTA Sugar
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted the U.S. Trade Representative's and Agriculture Secretary's joint statement opposing recommendations to the U.S. and Mexican governments regarding sugar policy under NAFTA made by U.S. and Mexican sugar producers. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/07/08 news, 08020715, for BP note on U.S. and Mexican sugar industries agreeing on a joint set of recommendations.) (Joint statement, dated 02/08/08, available at http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2008/February/asset_upload_file783_14454.pdf)
5. PHMSA Extends Comments on Proposed Loading/Unloading Practices
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a notice extending the comment period until March 14, 2008 on its January 4, 2008 notice concerning proposed recommended practices for bulk loading and unloading of hazardous materials to consider strategies for enhancing the safety of operations, including whether additional regulatory requirements may be necessary. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/18/08 news, 08011899 8, for BP summary of PHMSA's original request for comments.) (D/N PHMSA-2007-28119, FR Pub 02/08/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2364.pdf)
6. State Department Announces Upcoming U.S., Russia Economic Dialogue
The State Department has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. and Russia will establish a formal economic dialogue to discuss issues of mutual interest, including various U.S. departments and agencies, Russian ministries, and respective business communities. The inaugural meeting of this dialogue will be in the spring in Washington, DC. (2008/073, dated 01/31/08, available at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/jan/99917.htm)
7. Census Updates AESDirect Profiles Maintenance Tools and Look-Ups
The Census Bureau has issued an Automated Export System broadcast message announcing that to improve the usability and speed of AESDirect profiles maintenance and tools look-ups, Census has made a small change to how searches work. In the past when the trade typed in a string to search on, it would see any profiles that matched that string anywhere in the name. Now when the trade does the same search it only see profiles that match from the start of the name. (AES Broadcast No. 2008005, dated 01/31/08, available at http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/aes/documentlibrary/broadcasts/2008005.html)
8. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| APHIS 1 | Importation of Hass Avocado from Mexico | 03/10/08 |
| APHIS 2 | Importation of Poultry Meat and Other Poultry Products from Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico | 04/08/08 |
| DEA | Controlled Substances Import/Export Declaration (DEA Form 236) | 03/12/08 |
| FDA | Recordkeeping and Records Access Requirements for Food Facilities | 03/10/08 |
APHIS 1 & 2 Information Collections (FR Pub 02/08/08) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2369.pdf
DEA Information Collection (FR Pub 02/11/08) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2498.pdf
FDA Information Collection (FR Pub 02/08/08) available athttp://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2324.pdf