Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. U.S. and Mexican Trucking Companies Cleared to Participate in One-Year Cross Border Trucking Pilot

The cross border trucking demonstration project was cleared to begin September 6, 2007 with the release of the U.S. DOT Inspector General's official report - mandated by Congress - on the safety of the program. (DOT release 05-07, dated 09/06/07, available at http://www.dot.gov/affairs/fmcsa0507.htm )

2. California Container Tax Bill Pulled, To Be Revised

The Long Beach Press-Telegram reports that the container tax bill (SB 974) offered by California State Senator Alan Lowenthal was pulled from consideration in order to draft a revised version that would be supported by Governor Schwarzenegger, who had threatened to veto the measure. The pulled bill would have imposed a $30 fee on each 20-foot equivalent container moving through the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland. (LB PT, dated 09/05/07, available at http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_6811249 )

3. APEC Members Cautious Over U.S. Proposal of an APEC Free Trade Zone

Yahoo! News reports that Japan and other Asia-Pacific countries expressed reservations over a U.S. proposal to create a vast free-trade zone involving the 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, saying they viewed the FTA as a long-term objective that needs more study. (Yahoo! News, dated 09/05/07, available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070905/bs_afp/apecsummittradeusfta_070905141137)

4. China Revokes Outward Processing Trade in Some Provinces

American Shipper reports that China's July revocation of the outward processing trade (OPT) benefit for manufacturers in Chinese provinces like Guangdong could severely affect production in "the world's factory." OPT allows manufacturers to waive payment of duties owed on imported components and raw materials that are later used for exported products. The list of items for which OPT will no longer be offered in China's most successful provinces is expected to be expanded to 4,000 in the coming months, with compliance expected within six to twelve months. (American Shipper, 09/04/07, www.americanshipper.com)

5. Tonga Becomes 151st Member of the WTO

The World Trade Organization has issued a press release announcing that the Kingdom of Tonga became the 151st member of the WTO on July 27, 2007. Tonga applied for accession in June 1995, and negotiations effectively started in April 2001. (WTO press release 488, dated 07/27/07, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres07_e/pr488_e.htm)

6. BTS Reports that Surface Trade Increased More with Canada than Mexico in Year Ending June 2007

The Department of Transportation has issued a press release announcing that its Bureau of Transportation Statistics has released its North American surface trade numbers for June 2007, which found that trade using surface transportation between the U.S. and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 3.9% higher in June 2007 than in June 2006. U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade was up 5.1% compared to June 2006, with the value of imports lower (3.4%) and the value of exports higher (1.2%). U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade was up 1.9% compared to June 2006, with the value of imports higher (3.6%) and the value of exports lower (5.9%). (DOT press release, BTS 40-07, dated 08/30/07, available at http://www.dot.gov/affairs/bts4007.htm)

7. NY Law Requires Real Fur, Fur-Trimmed Clothing to Have "Real Fur" Label

According to the Humane Society, under a new consumer and animal protection law recently signed into law, all real fur and fur-trimmed clothing sold in New York State - the nation's largest fur market - will have to say "real fur" on the label and faux fur garments must similarly be labeled "faux fur." The law, A.B. 8966a, goes into effect November 13, 2007. (Humane Society notice, dated 08/16/07, http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/new_fur_labeling_law_protects_new_york_consumers_animals_faux_fur_081607.html)

8. GAO Reports DHS Has Not Provided Ports Technology for Passports, Etc.

The Government Accountability Office has issued a report entitled Border Security: Security of New Passports and Visas Enhanced, but More Needs to Be Done to Prevent Their Fraudulent Use, which states, among other things, that the Department of Homeland Security has not yet provided most ports of entry with the technology tools to read the new electronic passports and does not have a process in place for primary inspectors to utilize fingerprints collected for visas, including border crossing cards (BCCs), at all land ports of entry. (GAO-07-1006, dated July 2007, available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d071006.pdf)

9. Company Settles Allegations of Attempted Illegal Export to Dubai

The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a press release announcing that Ace Systems Inc. has agreed to pay a civil penalty to settle allegations that it violated General Order No. 3 of the Export Administration Regulations by attempting to export dialogic voice cards to Mayrow General Trading in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, without the required license. BIS special agents intervened and the cards never reached their destination. (BIS press release, dated 08/23/07, available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/news/2007/AceSystems08232007.htm)

10. FSIS Announces Availability of its Pathogen Reduction/HACCP Report

The Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a notice announcing the availability of its report entitled "Review of the Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Systems Final Rule Pursuant to Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, As Amended." (Report, dated 2006, available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2007-0022P/610_Report_PR_HACCP.pdf) (FSIS notice, D/N 2007-0022, FR Pub 08/31/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-17212.pdf)

11. FMC Lists OTI Applications

The Federal Maritime Commission has issued a notice that lists those applying for ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) or NVOCC/ ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:

FMC notice (FR Pub 08/29/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-17128.pdf