Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing the conclusion of an agreement between the U.S. and Mexico on tequila. USTR notes that under the agreement, exports of tequila from Mexico to the U.S. will continue without interruption. (USTR Press Release, dated 01/17/06, available at http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2006/January/asset_upload_file897_8762.pdf.)
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1. USTR Announces Agreement with Mexico on Tequila
2. Free Trade Agreement Talks with Egypt on Hold
According to Washington Trade Daily (WTD), USTR Portman stated that free trade agreement (FTA) talks with Egypt are on hold partly because of White House concern about the fairness of recent elections there and the arrest of an opposition Presidential candidate; economic issues need to be resolved as well. In a separate article, WTD reports that Egypt could lose its chance of a trade deal with the U.S. if it cannot persuade the Bush administration to launch talks within the next few weeks according to a Congressional staffer, who suggested that if FTA negotiations are not launched within three weeks to a month, the opportunity could be lost until 2010. (WTD Pubs 01/20/06 and 01/19/06, www.washingtontradedaily.com)
3. EU Adopts Explanatory Notes on Classification of Radio Apparatus, Certain Clothing
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has issued a notice announcing that the European Union (EU) has recently adopted Explanatory Notes on the tariff classification of certain radio apparatus with CD players and cassette players. In addition, the EU also adopted Explanatory Notes on the tariff classification of transparent dresses and the distinction between swimming suits of HS 6112 and HS 6211. (HKTDC Pub 11/17/05, available at http://tdctrade.com/)
4. Foreign-Trade Zones Board Actions
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board (FTZB) has issued the following notices of recent FTZB actions:
| FTZ applicant/grantee | Company/ action |
|---|---|
| Jo-Carroll Foreign Trade Zone Board | Application to establish a general-purpose foreign-trade zone at a site in both Carroll and Jo-Daviess counties, adjacent to the Davenport, Iowa/Moline and Rock Island, Illinois Customs port of entry |
| Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation of Southeastern Pennsylvania (FTZ 147) | Application requesting authority to reorganize and expand FTZ 147 to modify existing sites 4 and 5 and to include nine additional sites in south eastern and south central Pennsylvania, adjacent to the Harrisburg Customs port of entry |
| Columbia Metropolitan Airport (FTZ 127) | Application requesting special-purpose subzone status for the warehousing and distribution facility of JBE, Inc. (JBE), located in Hartsville, South Carolina |
| Board of Harbor Commissioners of the City of Los Angeles (CA) (FTZ 202) | Application requesting authority to establish special-purpose subzone status at the warehousing and distribution facility (home furnishings and accessories) of IKEA Wholesale Inc., located in Lebec, California |
| Koochiching Economic Development Authority (FTZ 259) | Application requesting authority to establish special-purpose subzone status at the all-terrain vehicle engine and snowmobile manufacturing facilities of Arctic Cat, Inc., located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota |
| City of Memphis and Shelby County (TN), Division of Planning and Economic Development (FTZ 77) | Application requesting to expand the scope of manufacturing authority for Brother Industries (USA) Inc. (Brother) under zone procedures within Subzone 77B, at the Brother plant located in Bartlett, Tennessee |
| Foreign-Trade Zone of Central Texas, Inc. (FTZ 183) | Application requesting authority to establish special-purpose subzone status with export-only manufacturing authority (semiconductor memory devices) for the facilities of Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC, located in Austin, Texas |
| Illinois International Port District (FTZ 22) | Correction of notice on the application requesting authority to expand its zone in the Chicago area |
| Northeast Ohio Trade & Economic Consortium (NEOTEC) (FTZ 181) | Application requesting authority to expand and reorganize its zone in the seven-county northeast Ohio area, and to add two new sites in and adjacent to the Cleveland Customs port of entry |
| City of El Paso, Texas (FTZ 68) | Application requesting authority to expand its zone in El Paso, Texas, within the El Paso Customs port of entry |
(FTZB Jo-Carroll notice, FR Pub 11/18/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-22927.pdf.
FTBZ 147 notice, FR Pub 11/18/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-22925.pdf.
FTZB 127 notice, FR Pub 11/18/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-22926.pdf.
FTZB 202 notice, FR Pub 12/02/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/E5-6782.pdf.
FTZB 259 notice, FR Pub 12/02/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/E5-6783.pdf.
FTZB 77 notice, FR Pub 12/02/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/E5-6784.pdf.
FTZB 183 notice, FR Pub 12/02/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/E5-6785.pdf.
FTZB 22 notice, FR Pub 11/21/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-23009.pdf.
FTZB 181 notice, FR Pub 11/25/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-23282.pdf.
FTZB 68 notice, FR Pub 12/12/05 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-23922.pdf.)