Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. Shippers in China, Sri Lanka Upset Over Conference-Imposed THCs

2. EC Member States Adoption Negotiating Mandates for New FTAs with India, South Korea, ASEAN

The European Commission has issued a press release announcing that it welcomes its member states' formal adoption of the negotiating mandates for a "new generation" of Free Trade Agreements with India, South Korea, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The EC states that negotiations are expected to be launched in the coming months. (EC press release, dated 04/23/07, available at http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/540&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)

3. USDA/FDA Trace Adulterated Animal Feed to Poultry, No Recall Issued

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a press release announcing that the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration have learned that byproducts from pet food manufactured with contaminated wheat gluten imported from China have been used in chicken feed on some farms in Indiana. The press release notes that because there is no evidence of harm to humans, no recall of poultry products processed from these animals is being issued. (USDA press release 0122.07, dated 04/30/07, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2007/04/0122.xml.)

4. FDA Posts Various Notices to its Web Site

The Food and Drug Administration has posted the following notices to its Web site:

Swine fed adulterated product will not be approved to enter the food supply, USDA to compensate for depopulation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the FDA have issued a joint statement announcing that they have notified State authorities that swine fed adulterated product will not be approved to enter the food supply. USDA is offering to compensate producers who euthanize swine that were fed the adulterated product. (Joint statement, dated 04/26/07, available at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01618.html)

New Food Protection Position. FDA has issued a press release announcing the creation of an Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection position to provide advice and counsel to the Commissioner on strategic and substantive food safety and food defense matters. (FDA press release P07-75, dated 05/01/07, available at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01622.html)

6. PHMSA Proposes to Revise Cargo Tank Motor Vehicle Requirements, Etc.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposes to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations at 49 CFR Parts 171-180 to revise certain requirements applicable to the manufacture, maintenance, and use of DOT and MC specification cargo tank motor vehicles, DOT specification cylinders and UN pressure receptacles. Comments must be received by June 11, 2007. (D/N PHMSA-2006-25910 (HM-218E), FR Pub 04/12/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-6942.pdf)

7. EPA Requests Comments on Freedom of Information Act Requests

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a notice requesting comments from affected businesses about Freedom of Information Act requests for documents contained in the EPA Waste International Tracking System in order to provide the businesses with the opportunity to assert claims that any of the information sought that pertains to them is entitled to treatment as confidential business information, and to send comments to EPA supporting their claims for such treatment. Comments must be received on or before May 29, 2007. (D/N EPA-HQ-OECA-2007-0157; FRL-8306-8, FR Pub 04/27/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-8120.pdf)

8. BIS Announces Open Meeting of Transportation and Equipment TAC

The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a notice announcing that its Transportation and Related Equipment Technical Advisory Committee was to meet on May 2, 2007 in Washington, DC. The agenda was to include status reports, regulation update, missile technology issues, Wassenaar results and issues, etc. (FR pub 05/01/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-2118.pdf

9. ITA Announces Open Meeting of Environmental Technologies TAC

The International Trade Administration has issued a notice announcing that its Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on May 11, 2007 in Washington, DC. ITA states that the meeting will cover the committee's priorities and goals for the year as well as other international issues such as the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, update on the latest round of negotiations in the World Trade Organization's environmental goods and services trade liberalization, etc. (FR Pub 04/16/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-7122.pdf)

10. Various Agencies Seek Comments on Information Collections

Various U.S. government agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget approval or extension of approval (see notices for specific details):

ITA & BIS Information Collections (FR Pub 04/26/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-8008.pdf

APHIS 1 & 2 & AMS Information Collections (FR Pub 04/30/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-8154.pdf

APHIS 3 Information Collection (FR Pub 05/01/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-8297.pdf

CBP Information Collection (FR Pub 05/01/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-8306.pdf