Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
According to The Wall Street Journal, pressures are building within China's economy to re-examine the Chinese currency's tether on the U.S. dollar, with a loosening looking more like a matter of when, rather than if. The U.S., the European Union and other trading partners have urged China to let the yuan float, contending that the currency is undervalued and fueling a predatory export boom. (WSJ 02/13/04, www.wsj.com )
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1. China Rethinks the Peg Tying Yuan and Dollar
2. RSPA Issues Final Rule on Enhancing Hazmat Transportation Security
The Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) has issued a final rule, effective March 11, 2004, which revises the procedures for applying for an exemption from the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) adopted in a May 5, 2003 interim final rule. This interim final rule concerned, among other things, requiring certain applicants to certify compliance with the Safe Explosives Act. RSPA has amended certain regulations, added some regulations that were inadvertently omitted from the interim final rule, and adopted certain provisions without change. (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/06/03 news, 03050615, for BP summary of the interim final rule.) (D/N RSPA-03-14982 (HM-232C), FR Pub 02/10/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-2751.pdf)
3. Ex-Im Bank Announces Meeting of Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) has issued a notice stating that the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee was scheduled to hold an open special meeting on February 11, 2004. The meeting was to focus on, among other things, reviewing the year-end recommendations made by the Advisory Committee as to the continuing efforts to identify and facilitate U.S.-African trade included in the fiscal year (FY) 2003 report to Congress due at the end of this calendar year. (FR Pub 01/21/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-1177.pdf)
4. ILAB to Review Submission Concerning Enforcement of Mexican Labor Laws
The Bureau of International Labor Affairs' (ILAB's) U.S. National Administrative Office (NAO) has issued a notice stating that it has accepted for review Submission 2003-01, filed by U.S. and Mexican groups, which contends that the Government of Mexico has failed to fulfill its obligations under the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC) to effectively enforce its labor law in connection with freedom of association and protection of the right to organize, the right to bargain collectively, minimum employment standards, occupational safety and health, and access to fair, equitable and transparent labor tribunal proceedings related to events at two garment manufacturing plants located in the State of Puebla, Mexico. (FR Pub 02/11/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-2900.pdf)
5. CDC Federal Register Notice on Temporary Import Ban of Birds from 8 Southeast Asian Countries due to Avian Influenza
The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS') Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Federal Register notice stating that, effective February 4, 2004 and until further notice, it is banning the importation of all birds (Class Aves) from 8 Southeast Asian countries due to H5N1 avian influenza. However, CDC states that exceptions exist for certain categories of birds and processed bird products. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/10/04 news, 04021020, for BP summary of the HHS and USDA press release announcing this temporary import ban.) (FR Pub 02/13/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-3137.pdf)
6. APHIS Issues Corrections to Proposed Rule on Fruit & Vegetable Imports
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued miscellaneous corrections to its December 18, 2003 proposed rule to allow the importation of additional fruits and vegetables, etc. Written comments on the proposed rule are due on or before February 17, 2004. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/22/04 news, 04012220, for BP summary of proposed rule.) (D/N 02-106-1, FR Pub 02/05/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/C3-31202.pdf)