The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement has issued a press release announcing that its lines have adopted a voluntary guideline across-the-board increase of $500 per 40-foot container, with proportionate increases for other equipment sizes, to take effect August 10, 2009. The increase will apply to rates for all commodities and all U.S destinations. TSA notes that in certain cases, it will be necessary for lines to engage with shippers in a renegotiation of contracts that do not provide for some form of interim rate adjustment. (TSA press release, dated 07/07/09, available by emailing documents@brokerpower.com.)
The Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Secure Freight Initiative, Richard DiNucci, provided an update on 10+2 during the July 7, 2009 National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America's Importer Security Filing webinar.
In late June 2009, D-Trade 2 version 2.1 was implemented by the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. This new version replaces Version 2.0 which was implemented in mid-May 2009.
The International Trade Commission has announced the institution of an investigation and commencement of a preliminary phase antidumping injury investigation regarding certain woven electronic blankets from China.
The International Trade Administration and the International Trade Commission have issued notices initiating five-year Sunset Reviews on the fourteen above-listed antidumping duty orders1.
The International Trade Administration frequently issues notices on antidumping and countervailing duty orders, investigations, etc. which Broker Power considers to be "minor" in importance as they concern actions that occur after an order is issued, neither announce nor cause any changes to an order's duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective period, etc.
The Census Bureau has issued an Automated Export System broadcast announcing that it has developed AESDirect and AESPcLink Sample Shipment Guides which provide screenshots of the entire filing process in each respective application, along with important information and helpful tips that appear among Census' most frequently asked questions. (Notice, available at http://www.aesdirect.gov/support/userguide.htmlsample_shipments)
CBP has posted a memorandum announcing a special import quota of 13,063,117 kg for upland cotton that is provided for in HTS Chapter 99, Subchapter III, U.S. Note 6 and is entered under HTS 9903.52.55. (CBP notes that this quantity is not subject to the tariff rate quotas in Chapter 52 Additional U.S. Notes 5 through 10.)
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has announced that the U.S. has requested World Trade Organization dispute settlement consultations with China regarding its export restraints on numerous important raw materials.
The International Trade Administration has initiated administrative reviews of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders below, for certain specified companies listed in the initiation notice.