The Commerce Department released its preliminary affirmative antidumping determination Dec. 27 that disposable aluminum containers, pans, trays and lids from China (A-570-170) are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. Commerce found “critical circumstances” for all Chinese companies, and will retroactively suspend liquidation and impose antidumping duty cash deposit requirements for all subject merchandise as of Oct. 1.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the following voluntary recalls Dec. 26:
On Dec. 26, the FDA posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts (after not having posted new ones for a number of days) on the detention without physical examination of:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking comment on its pest risk analysis that looked at the ability to import fresh pineapple fruit (Ananas comosus) for consumption from Indonesia while also preventing the introduction of plant pests or noxious weeds. APHIS determined that one or more phytosanitary measures could be sufficient to prevent the importation of pests or noxious weeds, according to a notice. Comments on the phytosanitary measures are due by Feb. 28.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the 2025 hourly rates it will charge meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, and importers and exporters for providing voluntary, overtime and holiday inspection and identification, certification and laboratory services. Effective Jan. 12, the agency's base time rate will be $73.04, and its overtime rate $89.68. The 2024 holiday rate will be $106.32, and the laboratory rate will be $105.68. FSIS said the export application fee will be $4.83 per application, up 82 cents from last year's fee.
USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service is modifying how it calculates Section 8e import inspection fees, said a notice. The changes are effective Jan. 27.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative asked the International Trade Commission to study the "distributional effects of goods and services trade and trade policy on U.S. micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises," particularly those that are women-owned, minority-owned (including by a person with a disability or gay- or trans-owned) and those in rural locations.
There will be no changes in 2025 to the countries that can participate in the trade benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a spokesperson from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced last week.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
A listing of recent Commerce Department antidumping and countervailing duty messages posted on CBP's website Dec. 26, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at CBP's ADCVD Search page.