Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
Washington Trade Daily reports that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has recently decided to cancel the next round of technical level talks on steel subsidies and to delay a meeting of senior officials that had been scheduled for early May 2004. According to the article, a U.S. trade official stated that the multilateral talks on curbing government subsidies to the steel sectors and global overcapacity have hit a stalemate, and may need to be moved to another forum to find an agreement. (WTD dated 04/21/04, www.washingtontradedaily.com)
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1. OECD Cancels Next Round of Multilateral Talks on Steel Subsidies
2. FDA Again Extends ANPR Comment Period on Trans Fats in Nutrition Labeling
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the comment period until June 18, 2004 (from April 15, 2004) for its July 11, 2003 advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) on trans fatty acids in nutrition labeling, etc. The FDA states that it is extending the comment period to receive comments specific to this ANPR resulting from the FDA's April 27-28, 2004 Food Advisory Committee (FAC) Nutrition Subcommittee meeting. (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/03/04 news, 04030325, for BP summary of the ANPR and the reopening of the comment period until April 15, 2004.) (D/N 2003N-0076, FR Pub 04/19/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-8778.pdf)
3. USTR Advance Notice of Potential Expansion of Coverage of WTO Government Procurement Agreement due to May 2004 EC Expansion
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued an advance notice of potential expansion of coverage of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) to include 10 new European Communities (EC) member states as of the target date of May 1, 2004. (FR Pub 04/05/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-7637.pdf)
4. NOAA Continues to Allow Certain Tuna to be Imported from El Salvador
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a notice stating that, effective April 8, 2004 through March 31, 2005, it has renewed the affirmative finding for El Salvador under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This affirmative finding will allow yellowfin tuna harvested in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean in compliance with the International Dolphin Conservation Program by El Salvadorian-flag purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels operating under El Salvador's jurisdiction to continue to be imported into the U.S. (FR Pub 04/19/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-8770.pdf)
5. FDA Announces MOU with South Korea on Safety of Certain Shellfish Imported into U.S.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is providing notice of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea. The purpose of this MOU, which became effective October 28, 2003, is to establish the set of guidelines to be implemented for assuring, among other things, that molluscan shellfish exported from Korea and offered for import in the U.S. are safe for human consumption. (FDA 225-04-8006, FR Pub 04/15/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-8443.pdf)
6. BIS Amends EAR to Update Certain Names in the Country Chart
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule which, effective April 20, 2004, amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to update the Country Chart to add East Timor and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as to establish separate export licensing requirements for Aruba and Netherlands Antilles, and to update references to certain countries to reflect their officially recognized names. (DN 040330104-4104-01, FR Pub 04/20/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-8807.pdf)