Representatives of the U.S., Mexico, and Canada discussed regulatory and sectoral cooperation, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), trade facilitation through the liberalization on rules of origin, and Mexican and Canadian participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations at a meeting of the Free Trade Commission of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Mexican and Canadian ministers, as well as U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, agreed on, among other things: (i) a fourth package of liberalization of NAFTA rules of origin; (ii) a sectoral plan for chemical products; and (iii) pursuing the elimination of unnecessary barriers and costs for SMEs.
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.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of April 4, 2012, lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows:
The International Trade Administration has issued the final results an antidumping duty new shipper review of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Vietnam (A-552-802), which sets a zero AD cash deposit rate for the manufacturer/exporter Thong Thuan Company Limited and its subsidiary company, Thong Thuan Seafood Company Limited. No AD cash deposit will be required for all shipments of subject merchandise both produced and exported from Thong Thuan entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of April 4, 2012.
Japanese total steel demand is forecast to decline by 2.3% in the 1st quarter of Japan’s fiscal year 2012 (April-June), as compared to the previous quarter, by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Steel demand in the construction sector is forecast to decline due to seasonal factors, while the manufacturing sector is forecast to see a decline in steel demand due to seasonal factors and a slowdown in shipbuilding work. METI expects steel exports to increase in Q1 of Japanese FY 2012 thanks to the recovery from the impact of the Thai floods and progress in inventory adjustment among overseas customers.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry selected three successful Japanese applicants for the Smart House International Standardization Research Program. Under this Program, METI will conduct technological verifications needed for the harmonization of smart house standards in Japan and those under development in the U.S. and for the establishment of international standards for energy management systems as the basis of smart house.
The Court of International Trade remanded the final results of the antidumping duty new shipper review of fresh garlic from China (A-570-851) to the ITA for redetermination. Specifically, in response to arguments from Chinese plaintiff Qingdao Sea-line Trade Co., Ltd., which was assigned a rate of 155.33% in the review, CIT ordered the ITA to: (1) explain its decision to use a non-contemporaneous surrogate value in its calculations; (2) revisit its use of Tata Tea’s statements to calculate surrogate financial ratios, and if ITA continues to use Tata Tea, explain why it constitutes the best available information; and (3) evaluate plaintiff’s suggestion during the review to use financial statements from Garlico to calculate surrogate financial ratios. The ITA’s remand redetermination is due to CIT by July 23, 2012. (CIT Slip Op. 12-39, dated 03/21/12, Judge Eaton)
The International Trade Administration is publishing notices in the April 4, 2012, Federal Register on the following AD/CV proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, the scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The International Trade Commission issued a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order related to asserted claims of certain patents of certain starter motors and alternators (337-TA-755) against respondent American Automotive Parts, Inc. (AAP) of Niles, Illinois, which was previously found in default1 in this investigation. The ITC further determined that a bond of 100% of the entered value of the covered products is required to permit temporary importation during the 60-day Presidential review period under 19 USC 1337(j). The investigation, limited exclusion order, and cease and desist order were requested by Remy International, Inc. and Remy Technologies, L.L.C., both of Pendleton, Indiana.
The International Trade Commission voted to institute an investigation of certain food containers, cups, plates, cutlery, and related items, and packaging thereof (337-TA-835).
The International Trade Commission is requesting comments by June 1 on a new form for use by the ITC in connection with its investigation of Used Electronic Products: An Examination of U.S. Exports (332-528). The ITC estimates that the new form, a one-time industry questionnaire for U.S. firms acquiring, refurbishing, repairing, reselling, recycling, and/or exporting used electronics products in 2011, will have 5,000 respondents and require 2.5 hours to complete. The investigation was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative. The ITC expects to deliver the results of its investigation to the USTR by February 10, 2013.