The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued its civil penalties enforcement information for July 15, 2010. Agar Corporation, Inc. was assessed $860,000 for violating the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations.
On July 14, 2010, the American Apparel & Footwear Association sent comments to the International Trade Commission for use in the development of its report to Congress on the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA). In its submission, AAFA addressed two issues it says are critical to the continued success of ATPA. The first is AAFA’s firm belief in the need to keep Peru in the program. Second, AAFA strongly believes that Ecuador’s continuation of so-called Balance of Payments safeguard measures not only violates international trade obligations, but also flies in the face of both the letter and spirit of ATPA.
U.S. Trade Representative Kirk commented on the International Trade Commission's new report on small and medium-sized enterprises. According to Kirk, the report shows that SMEs have a relatively smaller export role in the U.S. than in Europe, identifies top export barriers reported by U.S. SMEs, and can help guide U.S. trade policy efforts to boost SME exports.
Export.gov is announcing a Commerce Department executive-lead Energy and Infrastructure Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia. The mission will introduce U.S. energy and infrastructure suppliers to end-users and prospective partners from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A senior-level Department official will lead a trade mission to Riyadh and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, December 6-8, 2010. An optional one-day stop in Jeddah for companies in the aviation sector is planned for December 5, 2010. Registration for this trade mission is due by September 15, 2010.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Sapiro discussed the U.S. - Brazil trade relationship with members of the Council on Foreign Relations on July 15, 2010. The event, entitled “Brazil’s Role in the Global Economic System,” was part of CFR’s Global Brazil Initiative and sought to explore Brazil’s rising global economic aspirations, trade agenda, and role in multilateral economic institutions.
The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a proposed rule to establish procedures the U.S. Department of Agriculture would use to conduct the first (and any subsequent) required referendum on whether to continue the Sorghum Promotion, Research, and Information Order, which was established in May 2008.
On June 3, 2010, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and the Agricultural Marketing Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the enforcement responsibilities of each agency with respect to the labeling and advertising of alcohol beverages produced under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and for other purposes.
The Treasury Department has designated Anwar al-Aulaqi, a key leader for al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a Yemen-based terrorist group pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for supporting acts of terrorism, which freezes any assets Aulaqi has under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in any transactions with him.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration is issuing an interim rule, effective July 20, 2010, to potentially make permanent the current waiver for high quality grain exported in containers from the mandatory inspection and weighing requirements of the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA). This interim rule only extends for 2 years a 5-year waiver that is set to expire on July 31, 2010, and asks for interested parties to comment on making this waiver permanent by September 17, 2010.