CBP has issued its weekly tariff rate quota (TRQ) and tariff preference level (TPL) commodity report as of January 12, 2009. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, tobacco, certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs, etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc. (Note that CBP also recently posted a January 8, 2009 version of this report.) (Weekly commodity report available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)
In what it called the heftiest penalties ever sought in a rebate-related case, the Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday a proposed court order negotiated with a company that the commission said failed to pay timely rebates to consumers nationwide. Many CE and PC product buyers received no rebate checks at all, the FTC said. The order requires a judge’s approval.
GENEVA -- A proposed voluntary premium on international telecom traffic aims to help bridge the digital divide by extending networks in developing countries. The U.S. and a group of mostly industrialized countries oppose new measures, which were proposed by a group of developing countries.
As a Feature Group IP forbearance petition on VoIP access charges heads into its final week, the company is seeing little support and much opposition from the rest of the industry. Feature Group IP, a competitive local exchange carrier serving VoIP companies, wants the FCC to rule that VoIP providers need not pay access charges to interconnect with traditional public switched telephone network carriers. Chairman Kevin Martin has circulated two orders, one granting and one refusing relief. The FCC must issue a decision by Jan. 21.
The International Trade Administration frequently issues notices on antidumping and countervailing duty orders, investigations, etc. which Broker Power considers to be "minor" in importance as they concern actions that occur after an order is issued, neither announce nor cause any changes to an order's duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective period, etc.
The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain semiconductor integrated circuits and products containing same pursuant to a complaint.
The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain mobile tunable laser chips, assemblies, and products containing same pursuant to a complaint.
The Federal Maritime Commission has issued a notice announcing the filing of Agreement No. 011223-043, an amendment to the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement. The amendment would provide authority for the members to discuss cost savings and more efficient use of vessel and equipment assets and networks. Comments are due within ten days of December 29, 2008. (FR Pub 12/29/08, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-30791.pdf)
The International Trade Administration has initiated administrative reviews of the following antidumping duty orders for certain specified companies. The ITA also received a request to revoke one AD order in part.
The Federal Maritime Commission has issued a notice announcing that it has formally requested that the parties to Agreement No. 201199 (the Port Fee Services Agreement) provide additional information. This action prevents the agreement from becoming effective as originally scheduled. Interested parties have 15 days after publication of the notice to file further comments on the agreement. (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/19/08 news, 08121910, for BP summary of FMC's reqeust for additional information on Agreement No. 201199.) (Notice, FR Pub 12/24/08, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-30633.pdf.)