The International Trade Commission began a formal Section 337 Investigation on imported hazelnuts, according to a Federal Register notice released Oct. 20. The initiation of the investigation (ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1337) follows a complaint (supplemented three times) to the ITC by Pratum Farm in Salem, Oregon, on Sept. 14 (see 2209200020). The complaint alleged that five Turkish hazelnut producers -- Arslanturk, Balsu, Farmeks, Nimeks and Progida -- have falsely advertised imported hazelnuts from Turkey as "certified organic," which Pratum Farm disputes. The farm has asked the ITC for a permanent limited exclusion order barring falsely advertised hazelnuts from the respondents, along with cease and desist orders.

The Commerce Department is beginning new antidumping duty investigations on freight rail couplers from China and Mexico, as well as a new countervailing duty investigation on freight rail couplers from China, it said in a fact sheet Oct. 19. The underlying petition was filed Sept. 28 (see 2209300052). The International Trade Commission is scheduled to make its preliminary injury determinations by Nov. 14. These AD/CV duty investigations will only continue if the ITC finds injury. The request for AD/CV duties on China follows the termination of AD/CVD investigations in July after the ITC found no injury in those investigations, despite Commerce having found dumping and illegal subsidization. International Trade Today will provide more details upon publication of the initiation notices in the Federal Register.

The International Trade Commission published notices in the Oct. 19 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):

Public interest comments regarding a possible Section 337 investigation on imported electronics are due to the International Trade Commission by Oct. 28, it said in a notice to be published in the Oct. 20 Federal Register (ITC Docket No. 3649).

The International Trade Commission published notices in the Oct. 18 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):

The International Trade Commission began a Section 337 investigation on imported raised garden beds, it said in a notice to be published in the Oct. 19 Federal Register (ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1334).

The International Trade Commission on Oct. 13 began two Section 337 investigations on imported smartphones and components, according to a pair of notices to be published in the Oct. 19 Federal Register (ITC Inv. Nos. 337-TA-1335, 337-TA-1336).

The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the weeks of Oct. 3-9 and Oct. 10-16:

The International Trade Commission published notices in the Oct. 17 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):

The International Trade Commission opened a Section 337 investigation on automated storage and retrieval systems and automated put walls (ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1333). The decision follows a Sept. 9 complaint by OPEX Corporation, a New Jersey-based warehouse automation company (see 2209140036), alleging that Chinese company HC Robotics and Pennsylvania-based Invata imported merchandise that infringes two of OPEX's patents that cover automated warehouse sorting and retrieval systems. OPEX has asked the ITC to issue a limited exclusion order barring entry into the U.S. of automated put walls and automated storage and retrieval systems, associated vehicles, associated control software and component parts from the two respondents, as well as cease and desist orders.