The Drug Enforcement Administration is permanently placing the synthetic benzimidazole-opioids etodesnitazene, n-pyrrolidino etonitazene and protonitazene in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a final order released April 10. The substances had already been temporarily listed in Schedule I since 2022 (see 2204110029). The final order is set to take effect April 11.

The Federal Maritime Commission on April 5 warned the ocean transport industry against imposing unreasonable detention and demurrage fees as shippers and carriers adjust their supply chains due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month (see 2403260047).

The Federal Maritime Commission will be conducting network maintenance April 6, and said some of its systems will “experience intermittent outages” from 9 a.m. to noon EDT. Those include the FMC’s common carrier tariff and marine terminal operator schedule registration form; its application for a license as an ocean transportation intermediary; its Foreign Based Unlicensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier Registration; its Agreement Library; its eAgreements Filing System; and its List of FMC Licensed & Bonded OTIs. The FMC said its Service Contract Filing System, or SERVCON, will “remain available” throughout.

U.S. and EU officials speaking in Belgium didn’t divulge many details about what they expect to come from the sixth meeting of the Trade and Technology Council this week, saying mostly that they hope the forum will continue no matter who wins upcoming elections in the U.S. and Europe (see 2403120066).

The International Trade Commission is preparing for new Chinese export controls on germanium and gallium to have a potentially “significant” impact on global supply chains, it said in a recently issued executive trade briefing (see 2307050018).

The Fish and Wildlife Service will once again automatically apply import and export restrictions to species it designates as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, reinstating its “blanket rule” protections in a final rule released April 2.

The FTC is allowing more time for comments on proposed changes to its EnergyGuide labeling regulations, including new requirements for EnergyGuide labels on air cleaners, clothes dryers, “miscellaneous refrigeration products” and portable electric spas. The proposed rule, released Feb. 1 (see 2402010028), also would modify existing labels for clothes washers, televisions and “several heating products,” including instantaneous gas water heaters and pool heaters. Comments are now due April 19.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is amending import and export requirements for the African elephant (Loxodonta Africana) included in a Section 4(d) rule issued under the Endangered Species Act, it said in a final rule April 1.

PHILADELPHIA -- While the intersection of trade and climate change isn't yet massive in terms of policy, a CBP green trade official noted that climate change is already affecting the transport of goods.

Ocean carriers COSCO Shipping Lines and Orient Overseas Container Line Limited violated U.S. shipping regulations when they failed to perform their “inland transportation obligations," charged unfair detention and demurrage fees, and refused to release cargo, Samsung Electronics America said in two separate complaints filed with the Federal Maritime Commission on March 28.