The land and sea portion of the 2008 Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative final rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department is effective June 1, 2009.
The International Trade Administration has initiated an antidumping duty investigation to determine whether imports of certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from China are being, or are likely to be, sold in the U.S. at less than fair value.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing that on April 25, 2009, the Automated Commercial Environment was modified to accept all Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative compliant travel document types.
The Embassy of China reports that in a video greeting in recognition of China Intellectual Property Protection Week, the Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) said China has made remarkable progress in intellectual property rights protection in a short time. According to the Director of China's State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), these remarks reflect the fact that China has established a trademark law system, joined six international treaties or conventions concerning trademarks, registered more than 530,000 foreign trademarks from more than 130 countries or regions, etc. (Notice, dated 04/22/09, available at http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/xw/t558606.htm)
Canada Border Services Agency has announced that its residents of British Columbia can start applying for B.C.'s Enhanced Driver's Licence (EDL) - a driver's licence that also allows the cardholder to cross into the U.S. at land or water ports of entry between Canada and the U.S. with a single piece of identification. (News Release, dated 04/06/09, available at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/media/release-communique/2009/2009-04-06-eng.html)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a revised version of its Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) minimum security for rail carriers.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has released a detailed summary of the draft structure and content of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) currently under negotiations.
The State Department has posted remarks made by Mexico's Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State Clinton during Clinton's recent visit to Mexico. Mexico's Foreign Minister noted that the U.S. and Mexico are working together to accomplish conditions that allow for full compliance with NAFTA, including the topic of motor transportation. During the press conference, Secretary Clinton noted that the Administration has set aside $720 million for modernizing border crossings. (Transcript, dated 03/25/09, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/03/120905.htm.)
The European Commission has finalized its draft report following an investigation into U.S. measures affecting foreign suppliers of Internet gambling services.
In Esso Standard Oil Co. (PR) v. U.S., the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the decision by the Court of International Trade not to refund the overpayment of Harbor Maintenance Tax collected on shipments of petroleum products transported from one insular possession to another, which had not been protested in a timely manner under 19 USC 1520(c).