The World Customs Organization has announced that the State of Qatar deposited its instrument of accession to the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (revised Kyoto Convention. Qatar is the first member state of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to accede to the revised convention. (Press Release, dated 07/14/09, available at http://www.wcoomd.org/press/default.aspx?lid=1&id=189)
The Census Bureau has issued an Automated Export System broadcast announcing that effective August 3, 2009, AESDirect will deploy modifications to security measures and user authentication practices. All of these changes fall under the Department of Commerce's security guidelines and address the U.S. Census Bureau's IT Security Program Requirements. The upgrade to the AESDirect system will provide AESDirect users with the utmost in account security. (See broadcast for list of changes.) (AES Broadcast 2009027 available by emailing documents@brokerpower.com.)
The International Trade Commission has posted an updated version of the 2009 U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which is dated July 1, 2009 (Supplement 1).
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.
CBP has issued a CSMS message announcing recent changes to the 2009 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HS Update No. 0902). This update contains 25,777 ABI records and 4,334 harmonized records. Changes include the following:
The World Customs Organization states that Cuba, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka have deposited their instruments of accession to the revised Kyoto Convention on the simplification and harmonization of Customs procedures with the WCO during the Annual Sessions of the WCO Council. (Press Release, dated 06/26/09, available at http://www.wcoomd.org/press/?v=1&lid=1&cid=6&id=185)
The House of Representatives has passed a bill to authorize the President to proclaim duty-free treatment for certain products (including textiles and apparel) from designated Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) within Afghanistan or specified areas in Pakistan, through September 30, 2024.
The Lacey Act Declaration requirement is currently being enforced for nine Harmonized Tariff Schedule Chapter 44 headings (wood and articles of wood), except where such goods are cleared using Automated Line Release (ALR)/Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity Program (BRASS)1.
On April 28, 2009 China and Peru signed a free trade agreement in Beijing. The agreement is the first FTA package China has signed with a Latin American country. (Notice, dated 04/28/09, available at http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/6647262.html)