The China Chamber of International Commerce opposes the Trump administration’s imposition of 25 percent tariffs on Chinese imports (see 1803230016) and wants to send delegates from Beijing to the U.S. Trade Representative’s May 15 hearing to testify to that effect, it commented, in a filing posted Wednesday in docket USTR-2018-0005. “None of the public comments submitted by interested parties has identified any Chinese laws or regulations that mandatorily requires technology transfer, or present any real and concrete case in which the Chinese government has in practice forced transfer of technologies.”
Electric utilities slammed two USTelecom FCC pole-attachment filings: a March 22 letter and a Nov. 21, report (see 1711220012). The telco group "relies upon irrelevant data, misunderstands the few relevant data points within its own report, and -- as is the case with the entire ILEC argument in this docket -- completely omits critical facts and data," said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 17-84 by Ameren Services, American Electric Power Service, Duke Energy, Entergy, Oncor Electric Delivery, Southern Co., Tampa Electric and Westar Energy. USTelecom's "entire message is premised upon the false assumption that a difference in 'rates' necessarily translates into a difference in competitive advantage," the utilities said. The association "takes the inaccurately narrow view that the only relevant contractual term for purposes of evaluating competitive neutrality is the recurring rate," they said. "The recurring rate is only one piece of a much larger, sophisticated puzzle." The utilities said USTelecom data shows ILEC contributions to pole costs dropped since 2008 as they own fewer poles; its "report relies on a contrived narrative regarding the threat of removal of attachments;" proposed rule 1.1424 revisions "would distort competition and disrupt broadband deployment;" and its submissions "trade in the myths of 'repeated disputes' and 'inadequate bargaining power.'" USTelecom didn't comment.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative accepted the Consumer Technology Association’s request for Sage Chandler, vice president-international trade, to testify at the May 15 public hearing in opposition to the Trump administration’s proposed 25 percent tariffs on certain goods imported from China, a CTA spokeswoman said in an email. Of the 1,300 "product lines" in the USTR's list of proposed tariffs, CTA members have so far identified 190 HTS codes representing goods they import from China, and those goods were worth $25 billion last year, Chandler said in comments posted April 25.
Electric utilities slammed two USTelecom FCC pole-attachment filings: a March 22 letter and a Nov. 21, report (see 1711220012). The telco group "relies upon irrelevant data, misunderstands the few relevant data points within its own report, and -- as is the case with the entire ILEC argument in this docket -- completely omits critical facts and data," said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 17-84 by Ameren Services, American Electric Power Service, Duke Energy, Entergy, Oncor Electric Delivery, Southern Co., Tampa Electric and Westar Energy. USTelecom's "entire message is premised upon the false assumption that a difference in 'rates' necessarily translates into a difference in competitive advantage," the utilities said. The association "takes the inaccurately narrow view that the only relevant contractual term for purposes of evaluating competitive neutrality is the recurring rate," they said. "The recurring rate is only one piece of a much larger, sophisticated puzzle." The utilities said USTelecom data shows ILEC contributions to pole costs dropped since 2008 as they own fewer poles; its "report relies on a contrived narrative regarding the threat of removal of attachments;" proposed rule 1.1424 revisions "would distort competition and disrupt broadband deployment;" and its submissions "trade in the myths of 'repeated disputes' and 'inadequate bargaining power.'" USTelecom didn't comment.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 16-22:
Pharmaceuticals manufactured in the U.S. using active pharmaceutical ingredients sourced from India originate in India for “Buy American” purposes, CBP said in a set of government procurement final determination rulings issued Jan. 30. In a finding now challenged in a lawsuit at the Court of International Trade, CBP found 11 pharmaceutical products distributed by Acetris did not undergo a substantial transformation and are restricted for government procurement purposes.
Comcast updates to its X1 system allow its X1 set-top boxes to fall outside the scope of an International Trade Commission limited exclusion order (LEO) issued in November against the company (see 1711270031), CBP said in a March 5 ruling that was recently released. The CBP ruling marks a potentially important win for Comcast, which has been litigating STB patent issues with Rovi, now named TiVo, for years. "Comcast has carried its burden of demonstrating that the changes made to the X1 system will prevent Comcast’s customers from using the modified X1 system, of which the STBs at issue are a component, in a manner which directly infringes," CBP said in the ruling.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 9-15:
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for April 9-13 in case they were missed.
The Court of International Trade on April 16 denied an importer’s bid to sink a government customs penalty case, rejecting its arguments that the liquidation of an entry makes it final and bars CBP from imposing penalties and seeking unpaid duties. The court also found the government’s complaint successfully alleged that Great Neck Saw Manufacturers’ omission of purportedly improper “buying commissions” may have constituted violations of 19 USC 1592.