GENEVA -- Negotiators at the World Trade Organization and non-government organizations remain concerned about provisions under discussion for an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, said a deputy ambassador to the WTO. Changes to Swiss customs rules have led to a 250 percent spike in customs interventions, primarily because Internet orders sent through the mail can now be searched. Countries in ACTA talks, launched in late 2007, include the U.S., Switzerland, Australia, Canada, European Union, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, and Singapore. No text has been agreed to in the negotiations.
CBP has posted an updated version of its 10+2 importer presentation, which provides information on its interim final rule which amended 19 CFR effective January 26, 2009, to require Security Filing (SF) information from importers and additional information from carriers (10+2) for vessel (maritime) cargo before it is brought into the U.S. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/11/09, 09021115, for most recent BP summary on CBP's 10+2 FAQ, with links to previous parts.) (Presentation, dated 02/19/09, available at www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/cargo_security/carriers/security_filing/10_plus_prgm.ctt/10_plus_prgm.ppt)
Comcast and the NFL agreed on a protective order (CD Feb 17 p9) covering documents and testimony in the league’s case before a FCC administrative law judge against the cable operator, they said in a filing. The order will “protect trade secrets and other commercially sensitive confidential information” that can be shared only among participants in the complaint case over cable-program carriage, along with FCC officials, the judge and others specified.
On January 8, 2009, Representative Cuellar (D) introduced the Customs Business Fairness Act of 2009 (Act, H.R. 313) to amend the U.S. bankruptcy law (Title 11, U.S. Code) to establish a priority for the payment of certain claims for import duties, etc. paid to the U.S. by licensed Customs brokers and sureties on behalf of a debtor.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently posted to its Web site a frequently asked question (FAQ) document regarding its interim final rule that amended 19 CFR effective January 26, 2009, to require Security Filing (SF) information from importers and additional information from carriers (10+2) for vessel (maritime) cargo before it is brought into the U.S.
The International Trade Administration has initiated administrative reviews of the following antidumping and countervailing duty orders for certain specified companies listed in the initiation notice. The ITA also received requests to revoke in part the AD duty order in on honey from Argentina with respect to two exporters.
On February 3, 2009, Senator Dorgan and six other Senators sent a letter to the new Secretary of Agriculture expressing concern with loopholes in the USDA's country-of-origin (COOL) labeling rules which allow meatpackers to put a multiple country of origin label on products that are exclusively U.S. products as well as those that are foreign. The Senators conclude their letter by asking the Agriculture Secretary to revise the COOL rules to close the loopholes. (Letter, dated 02/03/09, available at http://dorgan.senate.gov/newsroom/extras/020309vilsack.pdf)
CBP has posted Amendment 33 to the Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) document. According to CBP, the CATAIR has been amended as follows:
CBP has posted Amendment 32 to the Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) document. According to CBP, the CATAIR has been amended as follows:
CBP has issued a CSMS message on the implementation of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after February 1, 2009. Importers and brokers may file claims for preferential tariff treatment on goods that originate under the PTPA. These claims may be made at the time of entry summary by placing the SPI "PE" on the CBP Form 7501 as a prefix to the HTS item number for each line on which preferential treatment is claimed. The programming updates to the ACS allowing for automated processing have not yet been completed. Therefore, until further notice, importers claiming preference under the PTPA should file manual entries or file ABI entries at release with manual entry summaries. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/02/09 news, 09020210, for BP summary of Proclamation 8341, which amended the HTS to implement the PTPA, etc.)(CSMS 09-000070, dated 01/30/09, available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17456&page=&srch_argv=09-000070&srchtype=all&btype=&sortby=&sby)