Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Wall Street Journal reports that as China's trade clout grows, its manufacturers are increasingly running afoul of Western anti-trust law in products from Vitamin C (where half a dozen civil antitrust suits have been filed against Chinese manufacturers) to magnesite - a mineral used in steel production. According to the article, these anti-trust accusations are the result of Chinese companies forming alliances to raise prices - a effort to stave off dumping accusations. (WSJ, dated 02/10/06, www.wsj.com )
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1. Price-Fixing Accusations Hit Chinese Companies ("Opposite of Dumping")
2. President Issues Proclamation Restoring GSP Status to Liberia, Etc.
On February 22, 2006, President Bush issued a proclamation to reinstate Liberia as a Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) beneficiary country. The proclamation will also designate it as a GSP least-developed beneficiary developing country (LDBDC). The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) indicates that these changes will be effective 15 and 60 days after February 22, 2006, respectively. (USTR press release on proclamation (dated 02/22/06) available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2006/February/US_Reinstates_Trade_Preference_Benefits_for_Liberia.html; White House version of proclamation (dated 02/22/06) available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060222-4.html )
3. NCBFAA to Hold Annual Conference April 23-27 in Hollywood, Florida
The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) has announced that its annual conference will be held April 23-27, 2006 in Hollywood, Florida. The theme of this year's NCBFAA conference is "A Commitment to Excellence: Certifying Our Future," and will feature a variety of workshops, seminars, and panels related to the transportation logistics industry. Complete conference details including the agenda, registration forms, and other important information are available on NCBFAA's website. (2006 NCBFAA conference details available at http://www.ncbfaa.org/2006conference/new_page_1.htm.)
4. State Dept's Committee on Int'l Communications/Policy Meets on March 30
The State Department has announced that its Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy will hold an open meeting on March 30, 2006 in Washington, DC. According to the State Department, this committee provides a formal channel for regular consultation and coordination on major economic, social and legal issues and problems in international communications and information policy. (Public Notice 5306, FR Pub 02/23/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-2580.pdf)
5. BIS' RPTAC to Hold Partially Open Meeting on March 7, 2006
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has announced that its Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC) will hold a partially open meeting in Washington, DC on March 7, 2006. RPTAC provides advice on the implementation of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and provides for continuing review to update the EAR as needed. (FR Pub 02/22/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-1609.pdf)
6. BIS' MPETAC to Hold Open Meeting on March 15, 2006
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a notice announcing that the Materials Processing Equipment Technical Advisory Committee (MPETAC) will hold an open meeting in Washington, DC on March 15, 2006. According to BIS, MPETAC provides advice on technical questions that affect the level of export controls applicable to materials processing equipment and related technology. (FR Pub 02/22/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-1610.pdf)
7. 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 |
|---|---|
| Triangle J Council of Governments (FTZ 93) | Application requesting special-purpose subzone status for the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility of Merck and & Company, Inc. located in Durham, NC |
| Jo-Carroll Foreign Trade Zone Board, a joint-county entity of the Counties of Carroll and Jo-Daviess, Illinois | To establish a general-purpose foreign-trade zone at a site in both counties, adjacent to the Davenport, Iowa/Moline and Rock Island, Illinois Customs port of entry |
| Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation of Southeastern Pennsylvania (FTZ 147) | Approval of an application 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. in Hartsville, SC. |
(FTZB 93 notice, FR Pub 12/27/06 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-24439.pdf)
(FTZB IL 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)
(FTZB 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)