FDA has signed an agreement to expand its food safety collaboration with its Mexican regulatory counterparts, the agency announced Oct. 5. The “statement of intent” signed by FDA and the Mexican National Service of Agro-Alimentary Public Health Safety and Quality (SENASICA) and Federal Commission for the Protection from Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) “embraces the use of new and emerging technologies to strengthen the Participants’ respective technical and predictive capabilities; leverages food safety programs at SENASICA and COFEPRIS and their work with local industry; and further enhances collaborations with other key partners in the United States and Mexico, among others,” FDA said. The statement also says FDA, SENASICA and COFEPRIS intend to expand the scope of their 2014 agreement on produce safety to cover other foods.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations officially implemented its self-certification scheme for origin of goods to help streamline customs procedures across member countries, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said Oct. 5. The scheme will allow any ASEAN company that is approved as a “certified exporter” to self-certify the origin of its goods, the HKTDC said. Under this process, traders will not be required to obtain a certificate of origin from their local customs office, which will save time and money, the report said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security released a final rule Oct. 5 to prevent its publicly disclosing classified national security information during a court battle. The rule said BIS can submit classified information in private -- or “ex parte and in camera” -- to courts reviewing an agency action under Export Administration Regulations. “By providing such information ex parte and in camera to a reviewing court,” the rule said, “BIS can limit access to the information and prevent public disclosure of the information during the course of litigation.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration is placing the newly approved drug remimazolam in Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in an interim final rule. Effective Oct. 6, remimazolam, which was granted approval by the Food and Drug Administration in June, is subject to new registration, labeling, record-keeping, and import and export requirements. DEA is accepting comments on the rule until Nov. 5.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee’s Secure Trade Lanes Subcommittee Export Modernization Working Group issued draft recommendations ahead of the COAC’s Oct. 7 meeting. The group recommends that CBP work with the Census Bureau and others to define a “clerical error versus a material error” for both Electronic Export Information and manifest filings and issue “appropriate guidance” to CBP personnel. When CBP finds clerical errors in the filings, the group said, CBP should contact the filer for a correction before issuing a penalty. The group also recommended that CBP work with Census to “develop and conduct” mandatory export enforcement training for CBP personnel.
The European Union announced sanctions against 40 people involved in the repression of peaceful protesters and election interference in Belarus, the European Council said in an Oct. 2 news release. The designations target senior Belarusian government officials, military leaders, and police and election officials. The U.S., the United Kingdom and Canada also announced Belarus sanctions last week (see 2010020041 and 2009300011).
Australia officially launched its new sanctions portal (see 2009230004), the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Oct. 1. The portal, Pax, will “improve the process for making enquiries” about Australian sanctions and applying for sanctions permits, the agency said. Australia also issued guidance for users transitioning to Pax and information on sanctions permits.
A Brazilian government official said that a U.S.-Brazil agreement that covers trade facilitation, best regulatory practices and anti-corruption chapters is in legal scrub, and that should be done by mid-October. “We hope to have them signed this month,” said Yana Dumaresq, assistant deputy minister for foreign trade and international affairs. Joseph Semsar, the lead negotiator from the Commerce Department on this agreement, said that the two administrations are aligned, and “this is a unique opportunity to get things done that seemed unattainable.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security imposed a license requirement on certain exports of water cannon systems and revised its licensing policy for crime control (CC) items. The moves will place more oversight on exports that have potential to be used for human rights violations, BIS said in final rules released Oct. 5. Both rules take effect Oct. 6.
Singapore Customs’ TradeNet will undergo system maintenance Oct. 18, 4 a.m. to noon local time, an Oct. 2 notice said. The agency advised users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to the usual 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. maintenance on Sundays.