U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.
Internet-related provisions of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement remain troublesome despite improvements, digital rights activists and others told the U.S. Trade Representative last week. Among the most contentious are those about circumvention of technical protection measures, criminal penalties for copyright infringement and liability of online service providers. The USTR had posted more than 150 comments on the final ACTA draft Friday, but many were duplications and most seemed the product of a write-in campaign opposing the agreement.
Despite improvements to law and enforcement in some areas, China, Russia and other mainstays of the U.S. Trade Representative’s list of intellectual property-infringing hotspots deserve to remain in their place, IP owners told USTR for its Special 301 review. Comments were due late Tuesday, though foreign governments have until Feb. 22 to file. Domain name disputes and illicit pay-TV streaming drew attention from some commenters. Canada remained a top concern as well for failing to pass a copyright reform bill or ratify the World Intellectual Property Organization’s so-called Internet treaties, concluded in 1997.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.
Wisconsin regulators are investigating consumer complaints about Element Mobile, a new wireless service provider that took over Alltel’s markets in eight counties. The complaints, filed with the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, cover matters including broken phones, dropped calls and mistaken charges for roaming fees. Element began service Jan. 8, after Verizon Wireless, which acquired Alltel in 2009, declined to continue Alltel’s service in central and northern Wisconsin. Some service issues resulted from system conversion, said Jerry Wilke, Element’s chief operating officer. And some subscribers simply want out of their contracts, he said. Element’s service is essentially Alltel’s, rebranded, Wilke said. The company is working with regulators and customers to resolve the complaints case by case, he said.
The International Trade Administration has issued an interim final rule which amends the requirements for certifications that must accompany submissions by businesses and government (and by legal counsel or other representatives, if applicable) of factual information in antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings, in order to lengthen and strengthen the current certification language.
During the House Ways and Means Committee's February 9, 2011 hearing on the President’s trade agenda, committee leaders expressed their dismay over the Administration’s lack of action on the pending free trade agreements with Korea, Panama, and Colombia. U.S. Trade Representative Kirk testified on the Administration’s planned trade agenda, and responded to the concerns of Committee members.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.
The Government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices from February 4-6, 2011:
The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation1 of certain birthing simulators and associated systems pursuant to a complaint.