Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Washington Trade Daily (WTD) reports that although Chinese officials have made clear their belief that "threat-based" textile and apparel safeguard petitions violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, Commerce Department officials state that the safeguard provision negotiated as part of the bilateral agreement on China's WTO accession clearly allows for such petitions. According to WTD, these officials noted that the Bush Administration fully intends to comply with its WTO commitments to lift domestic textile and apparel quotas at the end of this year. (WTD Pub 09/23/04, www.washingtontradedaily.com)
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1. China Says Threat-Based Safeguard Quotas on Textiles Would Violate WTO Rules
2. U.S. and Afghanistan Sign Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that on September 21, 2004, the U.S. and Afghanistan signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) to examine ways to expand bilateral trade and investment. (USTR Press Release, dated 09/21/04, at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2004/September/United_States_Afghanistan_Sign_Trade_Investment_Framework_Agreement.html)
3. BIS Settles Charges of Unlicensed Exports of Microchips to China
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a press release announcing that Lattice Semiconductor Corporation of Hillsboro, OR has agreed to pay a $560,000 civil penalty to settle charges that it exported certain semi-conductor microchips and related technical data to China without the required export licenses, in violation of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). (BIS press release, dated 09/13/04, available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/News/2004/Lattice_Sep14.htm)
4. President's Export Council to Hold Open Meeting
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice announcing that the President's Export Council (PEC) will hold a full council open meeting on September 29, 2004 in Washington, DC to discuss topics related to export expansion. (FR Pub 09/23/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-21468.pdf)