The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is seeking comments by June 4, 2012, on extensions of two currently approved information collections regarding prior approval licensing and annual reporting for the brokering of exports of defense articles, services, and related technical data.
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 International Trade Administration issued the final results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet and strip from the United Arab Emirates (A-520-803) which sets an AD cash deposit rate for one manufacturer/exporter. The rate, effective April 4, 2012, is expected to be implemented by U.S. Customs and Border Protection soon.
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will be required for all shipments of subject merchandise both produced and exported from Thong Thuan entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of April 4, 2012.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of April 4, 2012, lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows:
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.
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.
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 Commission is asking for comments by about April 12, 2012, on a patent complaint filed on behalf of HumanEyes Technologies, Ltd., which alleges violations of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the U.S., the sale for importation, and the sale within the U.S. after importation of certain cameras and mobile devices, related software and firmware, and components thereof and products containing the same (D/N 2891). ITC is asking for comments on any public interest issues that might affect ITC consideration, including whether the issuance of an exclusion order and/or cease and desist order would impact the public interest.
The Court of International Trade sustained the International Trade Administration’s scope determination that plaintiff Acme Furniture Industry, Inc.’s imported product (a daybed with trundle) falls within the scope of the antidumping duty order on wooden bedroom furniture from China (A-570-890).
A new trilateral effort to get rid of outdated regulations was announced by President Obama, President Caldron of Mexico, and Prime Minister Harper of Canada at a joint press conference in Washington on April 2, 2012. President Calderon singled out the need for deregulation in nanomaterials and emissions standards for some vehicles in particular.