The music executive planning to bring licensed file- sharing to a handful of universities this fall confessed the sins of his industry during the World Copyright Summit Wednesday, but asked ISPs to confess theirs. Jim Griffin, former digital chief at Geffen and founder of Warner Music Group-owned Choruss, said labels are interested in negotiating fair terms with ISPs for unlimited music use -- but providers must stop hiding behind their common-carrier status. “It is absolutely the case that they know what’s moving [on ISP networks] and they should be held responsible for it, financially,” he said on a panel on the role of ISPs in music. The founder of a music service for ISPs in the U.K. cited a similar thaw in label relations since early 2008.
The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain course management software products pursuant to a complaint.
On May 27, 2009, the House Energy and Commerce Committee posted a discussion draft of comprehensive food safety legislation, called the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009.
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)