CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow imports of cold-treated citrus fruit from South Africa into all U.S. ports, it said in a notice released Nov. 4. Previously, citrus from South Africa was allowed into only four U.S. ports with cold treatment facilities, the agency said. The change takes effect Nov. 5.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service intends to remove restrictions on the importation of poultry from the Neuchatel and Ticino cantons of Switzerland, it said in a notice published Oct. 26. After having announced the restrictions in 2017 following detection in the cantons of Newcastle disease, APHIS has now reassessed the cantons and found that they have effectively controlled and eradicated the poultry virus. “Based on the results of the reassessment, APHIS recommends reinstating the Cantons Neuchatel and Ticino onto the list of regions in which ND is not known to exist,” it said. Comments are due Dec. 28.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is lifting fumigation requirements for blueberries imported from two regions in Chile, it said in a notice released Oct. 7. Blueberries imported from Chile's regions VIII and XVI will no longer require methyl bromide fumigation, and are now instead eligible for importation under a systems approach that includes requirements for inspections and a phytosanitary certificate from the Chilean government. The notice takes effect Oct. 8.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is eliminating restrictions on imports of pine shoot beetle host materials from Canada, including cut pine Christmas trees and other articles containing pine bark, it said in a final rule released Sept. 30. APHIS is removing quarantine requirements for domestic interstate transport of pine shoot beetle hosts, rendering the regulations covering imports from Canada obsolete, APHIS said. Regulations under 7 CFR 319.40-5(m) that are now to be eliminated under this final rule required that imports from Canada be accompanied by statements and certificates showing the origin of regulated articles and the places through which they were moved, as well as fumigation requirements in some circumstances. The final rule takes effect Nov. 2.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is adding Papua New Guinea to its list of regions subject to import restrictions on pork and pork products because it is affected by African swine fever, it said in a notice released Sept. 29. Restrictions take effect retroactively to April 1, 2020.
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from Sept. 21-25 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service released a notice Sept. 25 formally delaying its deadline for ACE filing of its “core” partner government agency (PGA) message set until January. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, APHIS has decided to delay implementation until January 25, 2021. On that date, APHIS intends to begin applying [Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)] flags, which will alert filers, who opt to submit data electronically, whether APHIS import data is or may be required. Importers or brokers using ACE must enter APHIS-required import data when they receive an APHIS-specific HTS flag in order to complete their entry in the system,” the notice said. APHIS had announced the delay by email in June (see 2006300062).