Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Government Accountability Office has issued a report which states that while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is thorough and consistent in its "SafeStat" compliance reviews of high-risk carriers, it (1) does not assess maximum fines against carriers with a pattern of varied serious violations as GAO believes the law requires and (2) assesses maximum fines against carriers for the third instance of a violation, instead of the second as GAO believes is required. (GAO-07-584, dated August 2007, available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07584.pdf)
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
1. GAO Reports FMCSA Does Not Apply High-Risk Carrier Fines as Required
2. FAS Posts Fact Sheets on Pending FTAs and Benefits to U.S. Agriculture
The Foreign Agricultural Service has posted to its Web site various fact sheets regarding the pending free trade agreements between the U.S. and Peru, Panama, Colombia, and South Korea as well as the FTAs' benefits to U.S. agriculture. (FAS fact sheets, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov)
3. FAS Sectoral Analysis of U.S.-China Trade in Wood Products
The Foreign Agricultural Service has issued a Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) report which provides a sectoral analysis of U.S.-China trade in wood products, which states, among other things, that such trade totaled $5.66 billion in 2006, with $4.55 billion of that coming from Chinese exports. FAS also notes that recent restrictions on the Chinese paper and furniture sectors may curtail some of the competitive advantages that have fueled their growth. (GAIN Report No. CH7061, dated 07/26/07, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/attacherep/attache_lout.asp)
4. FAS Update on Setbacks in South African Bio-Fuels Industry
The FAS has issued a GAIN report which states that South Africa's fledgling bio-fuels industry is facing setbacks, and the uncertainty about the final strategy and its support measures are making it difficult to find financing for further development and the building of plants. FAS states that the situation is, however, fluid and constantly changing, and FAS is confident that at least one modern large-scale ethanol plant will be built. (GAIN Report No. SF7010, dated 08/20/07, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/attacherep/attache_lout.asp)
5. FMCSA Corrects Penalty Schedule to Include Out-of-Service Orders
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a correction to 49 CFR Part 386, Appendix A, Penalty Schedule; Violations of Notices and Orders in its Rules of Practice for Motor Carrier, Broker, Freight Forwarder, and Hazardous Materials Proceedings. The correction reinstates Section IV on out-of-service orders. (FMCSA notice, FR Pub 09/28/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-55515.pdf)
6. GAO Issues Report Comparing EU, US Approaches to Toxic Chemical Risk
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has issued a report to Congressional requesters entitled, "Chemical Regulation: Comparison of U.S. and Recently Enacted European Union Approaches to Protect against the Risks of Toxic Chemicals. (GAO-07-825, dated August 2007, available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07825.pdf)