On July 29, the FDA posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The FDA set potential FY 2025 fees for import reinspections, domestic and foreign facility reinspections, and recall activities the agency performs if a firm fails to comply with a mandatory recall order, though it still isn't invoicing for services associated with the fees, it said in a notice. The agency set FY 2025 fees of $340 per hour for domestic services involving travel and $373 hourly if foreign travel is required.
The FDA will set the FY 2025 fee for its Voluntary Qualified Import Program at $9,999, it said in a notice. The fee, effective on Aug. 1, is down from $14,975 last year (see 2307270006). It is required from food importers and must be paid by Oct. 1 to begin participation in the VQIP trusted trader program for the period beginning Oct. 1, the agency said. The fee will remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2025, it said.
Eight former Volkswagen factory workers who were union representatives will be reinstated with back pay, and one fired worker will receive severance pay, according to a remediation plan for Volkswagen de México, the largest auto manufacturing plant in Mexico, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced July 30.
The Senate Appropriations Committee unveiled an FY 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act last week that would provide $45 million for the Federal Maritime Commission, $3.5 million below the Biden administration’s request but $5 million above the FY 2024 enacted level and $2 million above the House version of the bill (see 2406260007).
Senators criticized both Congress and the administration's lack of action to use lower tariffs to build relationships in the developing world, at a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on strategic competition with China. The hearing, which was meant to focus on China's influence in Africa, Latin America and Europe, and what the U.S. could do to counter it, was held July 30.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of July 22-28:
The Court of International Trade on July 30 stayed Chinese printer cartridge exporter Ninestar Corp.'s lawsuit challenging its placement on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List for four months or until the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force issues a final decision in the exporter's delisting request before the task force (Ninestar Corp. v. U.S., CIT # 23-00182).
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit last week said that an entity can only violate the Plant Protection Act and Animal Health Protection Act for aiding, abetting, causing or inducing the illicit import of plant and animal products by knowingly taking part in the import process (Amazon Services v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, D.C. Cir. # 22-1052).
CBP issued the following release on commercial trade and related matters: