Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

The International Herald Tribune reports that the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met last week to finalize a blueprint to transform the region into a free-trade zone by 2015, five years ahead of the original 2020 schedule. ASEAN's more affluent members, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, have pledged to slash tariffs for most goods and services by 2010, with the rest, comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to follow by 2015. (IHT, dated 08/24/07, available at http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/24/business/asean.php)

3. Cost of Chemicals Could Force Some US Firms to Move Production Abroad

The Journal of Commerce states that a report from AMR Research and the National Association of Manufacturers finds that chemical cost increases, coupled with a reduction in chemical domestic availability, could mean that 25% of U.S. manufacturers will relocate some of the their production facilities overseas if those conditions persist. The report was based on findings from a survey of 165 U.S. manufacturing companies. (JoC, dated 07/30/07, www.joc.com)

4. Only 15 Miles of U.S.-Mexico Border Fence Has Been Built So Far

The Los Angeles Times reports that nearly a year after Congress passed legislation calling for the construction of 700 miles of new fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reports that only about 15 miles of fencing have been built. DHS, which had committed to putting up 70 miles of fencing by Sept. 30, said the project was back on track after being slowed by environmental, hiring and design issues. (LATimes, dated 08/25/07, available at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fence25aug25,1,1555869.story?ctrack=5&cset=true)

5. British, Korean Airlines Plead Guilty to Passenger/Cargo Flight Price Fixing

The Justice Department has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has accepted the Justice Department's plea agreements with British Airways Plc and Korean Air Lines Co. Ltd., who pleaded guilty for their roles in conspiracies to fix the prices of passenger and cargo flights. The companies were sentenced to pay $300 million each in criminal fines. (Justice Dept. press release, dated 08/23/07, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2007/August/07_at_648.html)

6. USTR Issues Federal Register Notice on its FY 2008 TRQ Allocations

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a Federal Register notice regarding its country-specific in-quota allocations under the tariff-rate quotas on imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar containing products for fiscal year 2008 (October 1, 2007-September 30, 2008). (See ITT's Online Archives or 08/21/07 news, 07082120, for previous BP summary of the FY 2008 TRQ allocations.) (FR Pub 08/24/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-16736.pdf)

7. CBP Re-Accredits/Re-Approves SGS North America, Inc. as Commercial Gauger & Laboratory

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice stating that it has re-accredited and re-approved SGS North America Inc., of Corpus Christi, Texas as a commercial gauger and laboratory effective November 2, 2006. CBP adds that the next triennial inspection date will be scheduled for November 2009. (Dec. 07-65, FR Pub 08/28/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-17031.pdf)

8. Foreign-Trade Zones Board Actions

The FTZB has issued the following notice of recent FTZ actions: