Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has issued a press release announcing that it is seeking an emergency injunction to block the Bush administration from opening the U.S. border to Mexican trucks. According to the press release, the Teamsters were told by certain FMCSA officials that the FMCSA intended to grant authority to begin the program on September 1. (Teamsters press release, dated 08/29/07, available at http://www.teamster.org/07news/nr_070829_1.asp)
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1. Teamsters Seek Emergency Injunction Against Mexico Trucking Pilot
2. San Diego Borders May be Blocked on Friday Due to Protests, Cargo Traffic at Otay Mesa Unlikely to be Affected
NBC San Diego reports that all vehicle and pedestrian traffic at the U.S.-Mexico border crossings in San Diego may be blocked Friday, August 31, 2007 due to demonstrations over Mexico's pension laws. Traffic on both sides of the border may be blocked for up to six hours at San Ysidro, the nation's busiest border crossing, and at Otay Mesa. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials state that cargo traffic at the Otay Mesa is unlikely to be affected. (NBC San Diego, dated 08/29/07, available at http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/14008378/detail.html)
3. FDA is Testing PREDICT Program to Identify Shipments with Greatest Risk
According to The Journal of Commerce, the Food and Drug Administration is testing a program called PREDICT (Predictive Risk-Based Evaluation and Demonstrative Import Tracking) in Los Angeles in an attempt to measure risk-based on information from a wide variety of sources, including FDA's own historical data, but such additional sources as other government agencies, open source intelligence, supply chain data, and evolutionary algorithms to identify shipments which present the greatest risk. (JoC, dated 08/01/07, www.joc.com)
4. China Launches National Campaign to Weed Out Unqualified Toy Makers
MSNBC reports that China has launched a nationwide campaign to weed out unqualified toy makers, promising stricter supervision of the industry. China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine stated that export toy quality certificates will be revoked for those companies who are found to have serious problems in quality management and product safety control. (MSNBC, dated 08/28/07, available at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20471190)
5. BIS Deemed Export Advisory Committee to Meet September 10, 2007
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a notice announcing a partially open meeting of its Deemed Export Advisory Committee (DEAC) on September 10, 2007 in Washington, DC. The DEAC, which advises the Secretary of Commerce on deemed export licensing policy, will discuss current related policy issues, technology transfer issues, U.S. competitiveness, etc. (BIS notice, FR Pub 08/27/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-4185.pdf)
6. ITA Seeks Comments on Certain Foreign Aircraft Supplies Tax Exemption
The International Trade Administration has issued a notice soliciting public comments by September 24, 2007 concerning a review undertaken at the request of the Internal Revenue Service of existing exemptions for aircraft of foreign registry from certain internal revenue taxes on the purchase of supplies in the U.S. for such aircraft in connection with their international commercial operations. (FR Pub 08/24/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-16823.pdf)
7. DHS to Republish Privacy Act System of Records Notice for ADIS
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a notice announcing that it is republishing the Privacy Act system of records notice for the Arrival and Departure Information System (ADIS) in order to expand its authority and capability to serve additional programs that require information on individuals throughout the immigrant and non-immigrant pre-entry, entry, status management, and exit processes. Changes include the addition of a routine to allow for sharing of information with the intelligence community in support of DHS' mission to protect the U.S. from potential terrorist activities; clarification on the sources of data in ADIS, potentially including foreign governments; a reduction of the retention period for ADIS data; etc. Written comments must be submitted on or before September 21, 2007. (D/N DHS-2007-0049, FR Pub 08/22/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-16473.pdf)