The U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services decreased to $40.6 billion in October from $43 billion in September, said the Census Bureau Dec. 3 in a monthly report. U.S. exports in goods and services increased to $192.7 billion in October from $189.3 billion in September. U.S. imports increased to $233.3 billion in October from $232.3 billion in September. The goods deficit specifically decreased $2.2 billion in October to $60.2 billion. U.S. exports of goods increased $3 billion to $135.3 billion, and imports of goods increased $0.8 billion to $195.5 billion. The October figures suggested export increases in industrial supplies and consumer goods, along with import increases in industrial supplies and consumer goods.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Dec. 4:
With operator annual reports becoming due, the Foreign-Trade Zones Board announced a series of webinars covering submission of the reports through the Online FTZ Information System. FTZ operators must submit their reports to the grantee by the deadline set by the grantee, which must then in turn submit its report to the FTZB by March 31. To supplement training videos and tutorials on the FTZB website (here), the board scheduled free webinars Jan. 16 and Feb. 5 for operators on the use of OFIS to fill out and submit annual reports to the grantee. FTZB will set free webinars Jan. 28 and Feb. 26 for grantees on the use of OFIS to finalize and submit annual reports to the FTZB. RSVPs are required two business days prior to each webinar.
The Commerce Department said its infrastructure business development mission to Mexico is now set for Feb. 3-7. The trade mission was originally scheduled for Nov. 18-22 (see 13080723).
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Nov. 26:
The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) scheduled the following public meetings in December:
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board approved a bid by the city of San Jose to expand FTZ 18 to cover all of Santa Clara County, Calif., the cities of Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz County, and the cities of Fremont, Hayward, Newark and Union City in Alameda County, Calif. The zone previously included only the city of San Jose.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) canceled teleconferences scheduled to be hosted by Assistant Secretary for Export Administration Kevin Wolf on Nov. 27 and Dec. 24. The other BIS weekly teleconferences scheduled for December will proceed as planned, BIS said. Wolf will host a teleconference Jan. 2, titled "Revisions to the Export Administration Regulations: Military Vehicles; Vessels of War; Submersible Vessels, Oceanographic Equipment; Related Items; and Auxiliary and Miscellaneous Items that the President Determines No Longer Warrant Control under the United States Munitions List." The teleconference will be in conjunction with the implementation of the second Export Control Reform (ECR) revision to the U.S. Munitions List, effective Jan. 6. Those interested in obtaining additional information about ECR may contact OESDSeminar@bis.doc.gov. Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the BIS release.
The July 8 Export Control Reform final rule, set to take effect Jan. 6, will add the following “600 series” Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCN) to the Commerce Control List, according to a Nov. 21 Automated Export System (AES) press release: ECCNs 0A606, 0A617, 0B606, 0B617, 0C606, 0C617, 0D606, 0D617, 0E606, 0E617, 8A609, 8A620, 8B609, 8B620, 8C609, 8D609, 8D620, 8E609, and 8E620. The following instructions determine which “600 series” ECCNs are eligible for certain license types:
The International Trade Administration will lead a trade mission to participate in the TradeWinds forum May 19-21 in Bogotá, Colombia. The mission will also include optional stops in May 15-23 in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile for one-on-one meetings with pre-screened potential buyers, agents, distributors, and joint-venture partners, said the ITA. The mission is open to participants from a wide-range of industries. Applications to participate will be accepted and decided on a rolling basis until April 15.