Export controls over technology and software used for the 3D printing of firearms will not transition from the State Department to the Commerce Department after a Washington court granted a request to block the Trump administration from completing the transfer. The court, whose March 6 order temporarily blocked portions of a January final rule to transfer the controls, suggested the administration likely violated notice-and-comment standards and pointed to the “grave reality” the transfer might have on the proliferation of 3D printed guns. The decision stemmed from a January request (see 2001240047 and 2002070043) filed by 20 states and Washington, D.C., to urge the court to vacate the final transfer rules, which were scheduled to take effect March 9 (see 2001170030).
Delmar International acquired Rotra, a logistics firm that offers freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and warehousing and distribution services, Delmar said in a news release. Rotra is based in Chicago. “The transaction significantly raises the capabilities and size of Delmar’s USA footprint and workforce, which now exceeds two hundred employees, and operates from coast to coast with seven branches throughout the United States,” said Delmar, which is based in Canada. Terms of the deal weren't released.
Steptoe & Johnson hired Jeff Weiss, previously at Venable, to co-lead the firm's International Trade Policy practice, Steptoe said in a news release.
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of March 6 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
Ecuador recently renewed its tariff exemptions for imports of soybean meal and wheat from all origins, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released March 2. The exemptions took effect Jan. 1 and will last for five years, the agency said. The extension marks the first time Ecuador has announced a five-year renewal, the agency said, adding that previous extensions have covered only two- to three-year periods.
Costa Rica introduced an interest rate for late or incorrect payments on taxes made to the country’s customs authority, according to a March 5 KPMG alert. The new rate will be 12.2% and will take effect April 1. KPMG said the rate also applies to “interest in the case of fines imposed by the National Customs Service.”
Japan updated its measures aimed at easing export and import procedures (see 2002140012) to help traders affected by the coronavirus, the country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a March 5 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The notice updates time frames for the extension of certain customs certificates and more. Japan said exports and imports continue to be delayed and urged traders to use “mail and electronic application as much as possible.”
Japan recently revised the country’s maximum residue levels for eight agricultural chemicals, including carbosulfan, carbofuran, benfuracarb, cyclaniliprole, diquat, tebuconazole, broflanilide and benzpyrimozan, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released March 3. U.S. companies can submit comments about the changes to plantdivision@usda.gov by March 9. Japan is expected to notify the World Trade Organization, which will provide another opportunity to comment.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is endorsing a new veterinary certificate for dairy exports to Japan, the agency's Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report released March 3. The certificate has been updated to meet a new requirement made under Japan’s Food Sanitation Law, which takes effect June 1, the report said. Japan will accept both the previous and the updated version of the certificate until May 31.
The State Department approved a potential military sale to Poland worth about $100 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a March 4 news release. The sale includes 180 Javelin missiles and related equipment. The prime contractors are the Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture.