Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a fact sheet stating, among other things, that the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has helped lead to a comprehensive new Moroccan labor law, effective June 8, 2004, which raises the minimum employment age from 12 to 15, reduces the work week from 48 to 44 hours, calls for periodic review of the Moroccan minimum wage, etc. (USTR fact sheet, dated 06/23/04, available at http://www.ustr.gov/new/fta/Morocco/2004-06-23-morocco-factsheet-labor.pdf)
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1. USTR Reports U.S.-Morocco FTA Helped Lead to Labor Reform in Morocco
2. Handbook on WTO Dispute Settlement System Available on Web Site
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has announced that A Handbook on the WTO Dispute Settlement System is now available for purchase on its Web site. According to WTO, the handbook has been prepared by the WTO Secretariat to explain the practices that have arisen in the operation of the WTO dispute settlement system since its entry into force on January 1, 1995. (WTO handbook, published July 2004, available for purchase at https://secure.vtx.ch/shop/boutiques/wto_index_boutique.asp?language=E&rayon=ansprep_eng&bookmk=bz_handbk_ds_e)
3. FAR Amended to Allow 10 New EU Members to Participate in U.S. Government Procurement
The Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have announced that the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and Defense Acquisition Regulations Council have agreed on a final rule, effective June 18, 2004, which amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) determination that suppliers from the 10 new European Union (EU) member states are eligible to participate in U.S. Government procurement under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/12/04 news, 04051235, for BP summary of the USTR's determination.) (FAC 2001-24; FAR Case 2004-008; Item VI; FR Pub 06/18/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-13623.pdf)
4. FMC Lists Applicants for OTI Licenses
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice stating that the following companies have filed applications for license as non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs):
NVOCC-OTIs
Worldgreen Shipping Line, Inc. (CA)
Perfect Air & Sea Service Inc. (NY)
Alliance Logistics, Inc. (CA)
Pohl Logistics, Inc. (OH)
Shelton Tomkinson, Inc. (TX)
Badua International (CA)
Netfrate LLC (NJ)
APE Freight International Inc. (NY)
FF-OTIs
Ohanneson Freight Forwarding Co. (CA)
Gonzalez Exporting Corp. dba Goexco (FL)
Shiplane Transport, Inc. (IL)
NVOCC/FF-OTIs
Lambert Maritime Express, Inc. (LA)
Anderson Cargo Services, Inc. dba Anderson Worldwide Logistics and Forwarding, Inc. (MN)
Ansa McAl (US) Inc. dba Amus Logistics (FL)
(FMC notice (FR Pub 06/30/04) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-14877.pdf)
- FMC Reissues OTI Licenses
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has announced that it has reissued the following ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses:
| License | Company | Date Reissued |
| 018075N | Rapidus, LLC (FL) | 12/02/03 |
| 017258NF | Skycel, Inc., dba Econcargo (FL) | 02/18/04 |
| 15847NF | Straightline Logistics, Inc. (NY) | 08/29/03 |
| 012530N | U.S. National Lines, Inc. (NY) | 04/03/04 |
| 004264F | Trans Freight Services Inc. (NY) | 05/16/04 |
| 000167NF | Westfeldt Brothers Forwarders, Inc., dba Global Direct Lines (LA) | 04/19/04 |
(FMC notices (FR Pubs 06/23/04 and 06/30/04) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-14246.pdf and http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-14879.pdf, respectively.)
- FMC Revokes OTI Licenses
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has announced that it has revoked the following ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses, effective on the corresponding dates shown below:
| License | Company | Date Revoked |
| 003576F | A I S International, Inc. (MA) | 05/28/04 |
| 004377F | Ceres Freight Systems, Inc. (GA) | 06/02/04 |
| 001287F | Crown Cargo Services, Inc. (FL) | 05/28/04 |
| 004492NF | International Transport Group, Inc. (IL) | 04/30/04 |
| 000108F | The Bartel Shipping Co., Inc. (NY) | 06/04/04 |
| 004264N | Trans Freight Services Inc. (NY) | 05/16/04 |
| 003270NF | A America Cargo Services, Inc. dba A America Container Lines (FL) | 08/10/03 |
| 004161F | Fast Transportation Services, Inc. (PR) | 06/03/04 |
| 018631N | Hua Lian Fa Logistics, Inc. (CA) | 06/04/04 |
| 002693F | Jean H. Johnson dba JIFF (OH) | 06/09/04 |
| 002893F | Johnnie C.F. Chin dba J C Express (CA) | 06/06/04 |
| 017409N | Transnation Logistics, Inc. (CA) | 06/04/04 |
| 016945NF | Universe International Transport, Inc. dba World Bright Transport, Inc. (CA) | 03/24/04 |
| 017353NF | West Consolidators, Inc. (CA) | 06/09/04 |
(FMC notices (FR Pubs 06/23/04 and 06/30/04) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-14247.pdf and, http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-14880.pdf, respectively.)