The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) were listed as the top policy issues expected to have a positive impact on the clothing business, said respondents in a U.S. Fashion Industry Association survey. TPP, GSP and TPA, which would give Congressional pre-approval to the executive branch for trade agreement negotiations, were the only issues to garner a majority of responses saying that passage or renewal would positively impact business. Other areas of trade policy, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and customs reauthorization legislation were largely viewed as "Hard to say/Neutral" in the survey.

The Food and Drug and Administration will use CMCI, a company that specializes in federal information technology, to integrate the agency with the International Trade Data System (ITDS), the company said in a press release. The company said it has worked closely with CBP on ITDS for years, it said. The effort to deploy ITDS recently gained momentum with the release of an Executive Order establishing a deadline for the completion of the long-awaited system (see 14021928), which is hoped to make it easier for importers to deal with multiple government agencies.

The American Association of Exporters and Importers is rebranding and updating its website, the trade group said on its homepage. "As we turn the page of yet another chapter in our long history we felt the need to evolve our brand as well," it said. "Yes we are pleased to announce the bold new look of AAEI." The updated site will allow for better mobile access and more effective communication with AAEI members, it said.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) signed an agreement with the Hong Kong General Chamber of Textiles on May 19 to promote bilateral textile and apparel trade, said the AAFA in a statement. The two organizations are now developing specific projects, events and collaboration tools to share information on trade, sourcing and best practices, said AAFA.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) published the 14th edition of its Restricted Substances List (RSL), which provides information on regulations and laws that restrict or ban certain chemicals and substances in finished home textile, apparel, and footwear products around the world. The AAFA generally releases the list every six months. The AAFA also recently released a mobile app, allowing users to use the RSL from a smartphone, it said. The app allows users to filter, search, and sort by categories such as chemical name, Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number, country, regulation, or any other identifying factor, the association said.

The automation of country of origin determination processes stands to benefit U.S. importers and exporters by eliminating human error and allowing for filing comparisons, said Ginger Catizone, global trade content director at Integration Point during a May 13 webinar. Automation allows companies to analyze single or multiple filings against multiple country of origin rules with potentially different requirements, said Catizone. “At the same time you’re building up a repository of origin determinations for reference to be used in the future while simultaneously demonstrating a consistent, repeatable and auditable process for a customs agency,” said Catizone. Despite automation, U.S. firms still need to grapple with the traditional complexities of determining country of origin, said Catizone and Audrey Garrett, import compliance manager for the Americas with Flowserve Corporation.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's board of directors recently approved 16 new members, the NCBFAA said in a notice on its website. New members include:

A wide range of trade associations will again sponsor an "Imports Work for America Week" in an effort to draw attention to the importance of imports in the U.S. and the global economy, the groups said in a press release. "The 2014 Imports Work Week will focus on the growing role of global value chains and how they can enhance the competitiveness of U.S. companies and benefit American workers and consumers," they said. "As part of Imports Work Week, numerous associations and think tanks are expected to highlight the important role of imports to their respective industries by publishing commentaries and blog posts, as well as participate in other grassroots and social media activities."

DHL Global Forwarding will offer a new ocean freight service for "customers shipping sensitive or high value cargo," the company said in a press release. The new service, called Ocean Secure" is designed for cargo from the healthcare, technology, automotive and consumer goods industries, it said. The company and Ocean Secure customers are able to access, "real time tracking and temperature data at any given point and take remedial action if necessary," it said. "In case of irregularities, a DHL team will intervene. Intervention points are all over the world, ensuring customers that their goods are taken care of quickly."

Inadequate immigration policy in the U.S. has left American farmers without enough workers to expand production and compete with produce importers, said the Partnership for a New American Economy and the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform in a study released March 18 (here). An increasing percentage of fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S. are imported and "labor challenges faced by U.S. farmers and the inadequacies of the H-2A visa program are a key reason why American farmers have been unable to maintain their share of the domestic market," they said.