The U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) has issued a Textile Development Memo announcing that the EU has made it official that it is dropping all textile and apparel quotas on Vietnam as of January 1, 2005, ahead of its World Trade Organization (WTO) accession. (TDM, dated 12/07/04, www.usaita.com)
Notable CROSS rulings
According to Reuters, on September 27, 2004, the World Trade Organization (WTO) launched a probe into a complaint by the European Union (EU) that the U.S. had failed to drop illegal import duties on certain EU steel products from Britain, France and Spain. The article states that the panel request followed consultations where the EU stated that the U.S. had not removed all safeguard duties, while the U.S. stated that they had been adjusted after the WTO ruled them illegal two years ago. (Reuters dated 09/27/04, available at http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=6344486 )
Carriers
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a general notice announcing that, in conjunction with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it plans to conduct a National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning the transmission of automated truck manifest (ATM) data.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule which, effective September 27, 2004, amends the regulations at 7 CFR Part 319 in order to modify its restrictions on the importation of certain unmanufactured wood articles1 from the Mexican States adjacent to the U.S./Mexico border (Mexican Border States).
In August 2004, President Bush, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) took actions regarding a number of immigration- and travel-related issues, highlights of which include:
Census has recently issued its July 2004 AES Newsletter which includes articles on its plans to implement mandatory filing through the Automated Export System (AES) of all exports that require Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) information.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule which amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) at 15 CFR Parts 742, 748, 770, and 774, effective July 19, 2004, in order to implement decisions to move export licensing jurisdiction of certain types of energetic materials and other chemicals from the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DTC) to BIS, as well as to move such jurisdiction for other chemicals from BIS to DTC.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a set of four frequently asked questions (FAQ) and responses (dated July 8, 2004) on the "Rail" portion of its final rule on the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (ocean, air, rail, and truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a set of four frequently asked questions (FAQ) and responses (dated July 8, 2004) on the "Rail" portion of its final rule on the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (ocean, air, rail, and truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S.