Business groups, cybersecurity experts, free-market advocates and physicians came to the defense of LabMD CEO Michael Daugherty in his long-running fight against the FTC, which said that the medical-testing lab was liable for lax data security practices and exposing sensitive patient information (see 1610030016). In amicus briefs filed over the past two weeks in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, LabMD supporters argued the FTC exceeded its authority to regulate data security practices, doesn't provide companies with "fair notice" about security requirements and could stifle innovation.

Business groups, cybersecurity experts, free-market advocates and physicians came to the defense of LabMD CEO Michael Daugherty in his long-running fight against the FTC, which said that the medical-testing lab was liable for lax data security practices and exposing sensitive patient information (see 1610030016). In amicus briefs filed over the past two weeks in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, LabMD supporters argued the FTC exceeded its authority to regulate data security practices, doesn't provide companies with "fair notice" about security requirements and could stifle innovation.

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for 2016 in case they were missed.

The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Dec. 25 - Jan. 1:

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Dec. 27-30 in case they were missed.

The State Department through a final rule is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to allow CBP to implement the International Trade Data System (ITDS)/ACE for arms imports and exports, utilizing the State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) partner government agency message set, State said (here). The rule will become effective on Dec. 31. Starting that day, traders declaring permanent or temporary exports and temporary imports "will input data relevant to DDTC in CBP’s electronic system(s)," DDTC said. "CBP will transmit the relevant shipment details to DDTC via an electronic data exchange, eliminating the need for traders to notify DDTC separately."

The Fish and Wildlife Service will take a “case-by-case” approach to shipments of rosewoods and other wood species arriving after Jan. 2 without newly required Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species documentation, said Craig Hoover, chief of the FWS Division of Management Authority, during a webinar hosted in early December by the International Wood Products Association (here).

CBP 's interim regulations set too high a standard for domestic producers to show evidence that "reasonably suggests" antidumping or countervailing duty evasion, the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports said in comments to the agency (here). That's clear from CBP's decision not to act on the allegation submitted by Wheatland Tube (see 1610190029), the committee said. While Wheatland provided public import data, "CBP nevertheless required actual proof of evasion, which contradicts the minimal statutory evidentiary requirement for allegations," it said. That group and several others recently submitted comments (here) as part of CBP's request for comments on its interim regulations implementing the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) provisions (see 1608190014).

The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Dec. 19-25:

Ohio Sens. Rob Portman, R, and Sherrod Brown, D, sent a letter (here) to EU Parliament President Martin Schulz, expressing concerns about possible changes to how the EU treats China in antidumping duty cases. Under a recent proposal issued by the European Commission, "it appears unlikely China would actually be treated as a non-market economy in EU antidumping investigations," the letter said. "In light of China’s request this week to begin consultations with the U.S. and EU at the World Trade Organization, it is imperative that we coordinate our policies on non-market economy designations, particularly for China. We ask you to ensure the Parliament’s position on this proposal is established only after Congress and the Parliament have had the opportunity to collaborate," it said. China filed a WTO complaint on Dec. 12, arguing the U.S. and EU can no longer use special calculations for AD duty on its products. In an emailed statement, the Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws voiced its support for Portman's and Brown's requests for European Parliament to consult with U.S. Congress and to work collaboratively to devise the most effective response to China’s non-market-based trade practices.