The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an update announcing that effective March 1, 2005, the European Union (EU) will begin requiring compliance with 1) the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15 for wood packaging material (WPM) as well as 2) certain debarking requirements for WPM, etc.
The U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) has issued a Textile Development Memo which states that China appears to be moving toward requiring export licenses for certain textile and apparel shipments destined for the U.S. and European markets, as well as for certain shipments moving into Hong Kong. (USA-ITA TDM Pub 02/17/05, www.usaita.com)
On February 9, 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Secretary announced that the March 7, 2005 effective date for allowing imports of beef from animals 30 months or older from Canada has been delayed.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has posted updates on various countries' implementation and enforcement of ISPM 15 treatment and marking requirements for wood packaging material (WPM).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an interim rule that amends 9 CFR 94.6(d) to adds Malaysia to the list of regions where the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (avian flu) is considered to exist, effective August 7, 2004.1
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') Web site has updated its tables which list information on trade bans imposed by foreign countries on U.S. exports due to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and avian influenza (avian flu).
Washington Trade Daily reports that the European Union (EU) is expected to lift sanctions by the end of January 2005 on certain U.S. products imposed in a dispute over the recently-repealed U.S. Foreign Sales Corporation (FSC)/FSC Replacement and Extraterritorial Income Exclusion Act (ETI) tax regime. According to the article, the regulations to repeal the sanctions are expected to enter into force on February 1, 2005, but will be retroactive to January 1, 2005 (i.e., duties paid in January 2005 will be reimbursed). The article notes that the EU's regulations leave the door open to reimposition of sanctions if the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules that the U.S.' FSC/ETI repeal legislation does not comply with earlier WTO rulings. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/13/05 news, 05011310, for BP summary on the EU's beginning of the process to lift additional duties against certain U.S. products.) (WTD dated 01/24/05, www.washingtontradedaily.com.)
The Washington File has reported that the U.S. trade deficit surged 7.7% in November 2004 to another record as the volume of oil imports went up and exports of capital goods, autos and industrial supplies dropped, reflecting weak foreign demand, according to the Department of Commerce. (Washington File Pub 01/12/05, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=January&x=20050112130234ebyessedo0.6893274&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release stating that CBP employs approximately 1,400 agriculture specialists (former inspectors of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). According to the press release, in FY2004, CBP agriculture specialists intercepted more than 1.5 million prohibited items at U.S. ports of entries, including international airports, land borders, and international mail facilities, inspecting both commercial cargo and passenger/pedestrians. (Press release available at
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule, effective March 7, 2005, that amends its regulations at 9 CFR Parts 93, 94, 95, and 96 regarding the importation of animals and animal products, in order to establish a category of regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) into the U.S. via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts, and adds Canada to this category.