The Rural Cellular Association, which has mounted a campaign seeking an FCC rulemaking limiting or barring handset exclusivity agreements between wireless carriers and equipment makers, sent a letter to the FCC Wednesday linking its requests to the recent U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decision upholding an FCC order forbidding exclusive agreements between apartment complexes and cable companies. RCA noted that AT&T and others opposing its petition lined up on the opposite side on the cable order.
The Federal Trade Commission said it filed lawsuits to halt the illegal operations of three telemarketing operations based in Montreal. The agency alleged that the telemarketers bilked thousands of small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses and non-profits out of millions of dollars by deceiving them into paying for listings they never ordered in worthless business directories. The cases, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, are part of a joint initiative with Canadian law enforcement authorities called “Operation Mirage” that’s aimed at cracking down on business directory scams. The court has issued temporary restraining orders in the three cases. The FTC was granted temporary restraining orders against GoAm Media and Stephane LaChapelle, and against 6555381 Canada and 3189651 Canada, doing business as Reed Publishing. A temporary restraining order freezing the defendants’ assets also was entered in the case against 6654916 Canada, National Yellow Pages Online, 9187-4131 Quebec, DRS Without Prejudice and their principals.
According to CBP sources, the 102 penalty mitigation guidelines are currently under legal review and are expected to be released soon. (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/07/09 news, 09050710, for BP summary of a CBP official stating that the guidelines should be released in a few weeks.)
Note that Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions does not appear in today's issue of International Trade Today. Publication of this feature will resume as new information becomes available.
The International Trade Administration has initiated administrative reviews of the antidumping duty orders below, for certain specified companies listed in the initiation notice.
Ex-Warner Home Video President Warren Lieberfarb and MOD Systems have settled their legal fight, both sides announced Wednesday without disclosing terms. Lieberfarb sued MOD Aug. 19 for breach of contract, alleging MOD had failed to repay him for a $500,000 loan plus interest under a promissory note that came due July 31. MOD countersued in January, alleging Lieberfarb had shared MOD’s trade secrets with investors in hope of starting his own company to compete against MOD. Lawyers for Lieberfarb and MOD filed a joint stipulation of dismissal notice Tuesday in U.S. District Court, Seattle, asking that the case be dismissed with prejudice and “without costs or attorneys’ fees taxed to any party.”
CBP has issued a CSMS message stating that on May 27, 2009, CBP will begin sending two new disposition codes related to Importer Security Filings (ISF) associated to bills of lading when information is requested by an ABI filer for an ocean AMS bill of lading using the IN Cargo/Manifest Status Query. The new disposition codes will be added to Appendix N in the CATAIR. (CSMS 09-000229, dated 05/21/09, available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17619&page=&srch_argv=09-000229&srchtype=all&btype=&sortby=&sby)
As Vizio’s share of the LCD TV market has grown, so has the number of days it spends in court. In the latest skirmish involving the company, Sony sued Vizio, seeking to have QAM-related patents Vizio acquired from Motorola declared invalid. And Vizio fired a new round in its long legal battle with Funai, suing that company for infringing the same patents.
On May 20, 2009, the Federal Maritime Commission was scheduled to begin posting on its website new statistics detailing the number and types of filings made to the Commission's automated Service Contract Filing System, used by common carriers to confidentially file service contracts, service arrangements, and associated amendments. Beginning with January 2008 data, the newly available filing statistics will include monthly data by the type of filing, i.e., service contract or Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) Service Arrangement (NSA), and by category, i.e., original contract or amendment. (Notice, dated 05/20/09, available at http://www.fmc.gov/speeches/newsrelease.asp?SPEECH_ID=278)
In Global Scouring Group, Inc. v. U.S., the Court of International Trade ruled that certain binders made with a rigid paperboard core are properly classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule 4820.30.001, which covers binders (other than book covers), folders and file covers, a duty free provision.