The Federal Trade Commission is seeking comments, due by May 16, 2012, on proposed changes to its Appliance Labeling Rule, which requires energy efficiency labels for major household appliances and other consumer products. In reviewing the Rule, the FTC seeks comments on its benefits and costs, and on several proposed changes, including whether the FTC should: (1) eliminate duplicative reporting requirements for manufacturers; (2) require a uniform method for attaching labels to appliances; (3) place EnergyGuide labels on room air conditioner packages instead of the products; (4) improve website disclosures; and (5) revise ceiling fan labels. According to the FTC, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, approved by a 4-0 Commission vote, will be published in the Federal Register soon.
Brian Feito
Brian Feito is Managing Editor of International Trade Today, Export Compliance Daily and Trade Law Daily. A licensed customs broker who spent time at the Department of Commerce calculating antidumping and countervailing duties, Brian covers a wide range of subjects including customs and trade-facing product regulation, the courts, antidumping and countervailing duties and Mexico and the European Union. Brian is a graduate of the University of Florida and George Mason University. He joined the staff of Warren Communications News in 2012.
The Foreign Agricultural Service’s Agricultural Trade Office in Seoul, Korea recently launched a website to showcase potential opportunities to be created by the U.S. Korea Trade Agreement, which will take effect on March 15, 2012. The FAS recommends that U.S. agricultural exporters and those interested in expanding sales to international markets visit the page, titled What U.S. Exporters Need to Know about the KORUS Agreement, to learn about the agreement and understand the new tariff schedules. Information available on the website includes effects of KORUS on key products, monthly Korean trade statistics, and instructions on how to determine tariffs under KORUS.
The International Trade Administration has issued the preliminary results of its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Thailand (A-549-822) for two manufacturer/exporters, and has also preliminarily determined a margin for 147 companies that were not individually examined. These preliminary results are not in effect. They may be modified in the final results of this review and change the estimated AD cash deposit rate for these companies.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board has issued a final rule, effective April 30, 20121, to comprehensively revise and update the Foreign Trade Zone regulations in 15 CFR Part 400. Key revisions in the final rule pertain to activities in and procedures for zones in which an imported component is combined with one or more other components to create a different finished product, and expedited access to FTZ benefits for U.S. manufacturers.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy has announced that the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council, will hold the “2012 Regional, State, and Local (RSL) Initiatives in Nanotechnology Workshop” in Portland, Oregon on May 1 -- 2, 2012.
The International Trade Administration has issued the preliminary results of the antidumping duty administrative review of certain large diameter carbon and alloy seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe (over 4 1/2 inches) from Japan (A-588-850) for four mandatory respondents. The ITA preliminarily determines that these four did not have reviewable sales. If the final results also determine that there were no shipments, the AD cash deposit rate will not change for the four respondents.
The Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration issued a final rule, effective March 2, 2012, amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to incorporate adjusted thresholds for application of the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and the Free Trade Agreements, as determined by the U.S. Trade Representative.
The Energy Department is extending the time period for submitting comments on its energy conservation standards notice of public meeting and availability of the preliminary technical support document for automatic commercial ice makers. The comment period is extended to April 20, 2012 (from March 9, 2012). Original DOE notice announcing public meeting and request comments (published 01/24/12) here. (FR Pub 03/05/12)
The Food Safety and Inspection Service reported that the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA) has issued a correction clarifying that the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Apramycin are temporary. FSIS also announced a WHO call for comments on guidelines on sodium and potassium consumption.
On March 1, 2012 the following trade-related bills and resolutions were introduced: