The World Customs Organization has posted a press release announcing that on October 22, 2008, Ecuador deposited with the WCO Secretary General its instrument of accession to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System). This makes Ecuador the 135th Contracting Party to the Harmonized System Convention. (WCO, dated 11/07/08, available at http://www.wcoomd.org/press/default.aspx?lid=1&id=168)
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a press release announcing the completion of Southern Exposure, a full-scale exercise (FSE) marking the culmination of the Southeast Transportation Corridor Pilot (SETCP). The exercise ran from Oct. 23 through Nov. 5, 2008, and was sponsored by the DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), along with other federal, state, and local participants. The FSE was intended to demonstrate the Southeast region's capabilities to coordinate, communicate, and respond during and after a possible radiological/nuclear threat to the region's interstate highways. (Dated 11/06/08, available at http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1225999813655.shtm)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are working to liberalize the proposed phase-in plan, scheduled to begin in April 2009, for enforcing the imported plant and plant products declaration required by the Lacey Act Amendments, which was enacted as part of the 2008 Farm Bill.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has issued a release regarding its hosting of more than 1,000 leading suppliers, Chinese officials, and NGOs in Beijing, China. The company outlined a series of aggressive goals and expectations to build a more environmentally and socially responsible global supply chain. (Wal-Mart press release, dated 10/22/08, available at http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/NewsRoom/8696.aspx.)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued an interim rule, effective November 3, 2008, which adds Russia and Azerbaijan to the list of regions where African swine fever exists. APHIS notes that it is imposing these restrictions retroactively to November 19, 2007, for Russia, and to January 28, 2008, for Azerbaijan. Comments are due by January 2, 2009. (D/N APHIS-2008-0107, FR Pub 11/03/08, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-26140.pdf)
The Department of Homeland Security has posted a border security and immigration enforcement fact sheet. Among other things, DHS states that it has completed more than 216 miles of pedestrian fence and 154 miles of vehicle fence on the southwest border, for a total of approximately 370 miles. (DHS fact sheet, dated 10/23/08, available at http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1224777640655.shtm)
On May 22, 2008, new enforcement tools primarily designed to combat illegal logging were added as amendments to the Lacey Act. These amendments also place additional requirements on importers.
The World Trade Organization Secretariat reports that during the period January 1 - June 30, 2008, the number of initiations of new AD investigations showed a 39% increase compared with the corresponding period of 2007. The number of new measures applied also increased, although to a lesser extent, between these periods. (Press release, dated 10/20/08, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres08_e/pr542_e.htm)
1. President Signs GSP and ATPA/ATPDEA Extensions, DR "2 for 1" Apparel Benefit, AGOA "Abundant Supply" Repeal, Etc.
A number of documents have been posted to the International Trade Data System1 Web site, including one from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that discusses the functionality that will be available to certain ITDS Participating Government Agencies in future Automated Commercial Environment releases2.