The Department of Transportation states that Stagecoach Cartage and Distribution from El Paso, Texas was given approval to operate in Mexico, and Transportes Olympic of Nuevo Leon was cleared to operate in the U.S., marking the start of a year-long cross border demonstration project that will allow U.S. selected trucking companies to operate in Mexico for the first time, and change the way a select group of Mexican trucking companies operate in the U.S.
The DTV transition and growing adoption of flat-panel TVs and computer monitors means more electronics in the waste stream, the Congressional Research Service said. The report on state e-waste legislation said Environmental Protection Agency data show that in 2005 alone about 2.2 million tons of electronics became obsolete, with about 1.5 million tons landing in landfills. Twelve states have some form of e- waste law, and about 20 other are weighing legislation this year, the report said. Many local and state agencies, retailers and electronics makers have worked with the EPA to sponsor pilot e-waste recycling programs, but most states don’t want to bear the full cost of e-waste management, it said. “One factor driving states to develop e-waste laws is to implement a system that will provide financing for an e- waste collection, transportation, and recycling system.” State laws vary from bans on e-waste in landfills to full e- waste collection and recycling requirements, it said. Products covered under state laws include CRT devices, desktop computers, flat panel monitors, plasma and LCD TVs, keyboards, printers, fax machines, DVD and video cassette recorders and players and cell phones. Lack of federal legislation and stakeholder accord on a national e-waste recycling program is driving state legislation, the report said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted to its Web site a notice which announces the phased enforcement of mandatory Automated Commercial Environment electronic manifest: Truck for advance cargo information purposes at all land border ports in Maine and Minnesota beginning October 16, 2007.
In the Internet age, copyright law is increasingly a First Amendment issue, an appeals court held in a ruling that split the circuits and could land a similar case in the Supreme Court. The ruling, and whatever the high court may decide, will affect creativity and free speech online and elsewhere, those involved told us.
In the Internet age, copyright law is increasingly a First Amendment issue, an appeals court held Tuesday in a ruling that split the circuits and could land a similar case in the Supreme Court. The ruling, and whatever the high court may decide, will affect creativity and free speech online and elsewhere, those involved told us.
According to The Times of India, Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are nearing completion of a free trade agreement which could be signed during a summit later this year. Under the FTA, Japan would abolish tariffs on 90% of its imports from ASEAN countries with the list of items with no tariffs to be expanded every five years. (Times of India, dated 08/25/07, available at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Top_Headlines/ASEAN_and_Japan_near_agreement_on_free_trade/articleshow/2309646.cms)
According to Zisser Group and Global Data Mining, LLC, more than 40 importers, including Totes-Isotoner, Target (and its affiliate Associated Merchandising Corp.), Payless Shoesource, Asics, Columbia Sportswear, and Steve Madden have filed complaints with the U.S. Court of International Trade accusing the U.S. of gender and age discrimination in the tariffs its imposes on similar items of apparel, footwear, and gloves. These companies state that more than 2,200 pairs of HTS codes are impacted by discriminatory duties (over 300 for age discrimination and more than 1,900 for gender discrimination). (See ITT's Online Archives or 08/07/07 news, 07080725, for BP summary on Target's and Totes-Isotoner's cases.) (Full article available via email by sending a request to documents@brokerpower.com)
The Department of Homeland Security has issued several recent notices related to the Automated Targeting System (ATS).
The following are documents which CBP updates frequently (weekly, monthly, etc.):
In the August 15, 2007 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 41, No. 34), CBP published a notice proposing to modify a ruling as follows: