Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. USDA Secretary Testifies Before House Agriculture Subcommittee

2. PierPASS Revises OffPeak Schedule at the LA/LB Ports

PierPASS has released a revised schedule for marine terminal operators at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that is effective the week of April 6. The revised schedule follows a March 12, 2009 announcement that these terminal operators would each eliminate one OffPeak shift per week due to declining cargo volume. (Press release, dated 03/31/09, available at http://www.pierpass.org/press_room/releases/?id=72)

3. BTS Announces Decline in Surface Trade With Canada and Mexico

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics announced that surface transportation trade between the U.S. and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 27.2% lower in January 2009 than in January 2008, dropping to $47.5 billion, the biggest year-to-year percentage decline on record. (Press release available at http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2009/bts015_09/html/bts015_09.html.)

4. EPA Asks for OMB Approval of Final Rule on Methyl Bromide

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted to OMB for approval a final rule on the uses that will qualify for the 2009 critical use exemption from the phaseout of methyl bromide. This action will also authorize the amount of methyl bromide that may be produced, imported, or supplied from inventory for those uses in 2009. (EPA submission available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoReviewSearch;jsessionid=0a65171430d6a33edbc3885d47e1a54bea5ac9d1df2b.e38Nch4NbhuNa40LbN8Tb3aKa38Le6fznA5Pp7ftolbGmkTy.)

5. OMB Approves DOE Proposed Rule on the Energy Efficiency of Fluorescent and Incandescent Reflector Lamps

The Office of Management and Budget has approved a Department of Energy proposed rule regarding the energy efficiency standards for fluorescent and incandescent reflector lamps. (Information available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoReviewSearch, select "Department of Energy" from the second dropdown box.)

6. APHIS Asks for OMB Approval of Proposed Rule on Imported Nursery Stock

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has submitted a proposed rule to OMB for approval that would establish a new category in the regulations governing the importation of nursery stock, also known as plants for planting. This category would list taxaof plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending risk assessment. APHIS is also proposing to expand the scope of the plants regulated in the plants for planting regulations to include non-vascular plants. (Information available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoReviewSearch, select "Department of Agriculture" from the second dropdown box.)

7. APHIS Asks for OMB Approval of Interim Final Rule on Poultry/Products Imports from Regions with Bird Flu

APHIS has submitted to OMB for approval an interim final rule to prohibit or restrict the importation of birds, poultry, and bird and poultry products from regions that have reported the presence in commercial birds or poultry of highly pathogenic avian influenza other than subtype H5N1. (Information available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoReviewSearch, select "Department of Agriculture" from the second dropdown box.)

8. TSA Announces Implementation of Secure Flight Program

The Transportation Security Administration announced that the implementation of the Secure Flight program on March 31st, which shifts pre-departure watch list matching responsibilities from individual aircraft operators to TSA and carries out a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. To date, TSA has assumed the watch list matching responsibility for passengers on domestic commercial flights with four volunteer aircraft operators and will add more carriers in the coming months. (TSA press release, dated 03/31/09, available at http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2009/0331.shtm.)

9. FMC Issues Notice on Complaint Filed Seeking Surety Reparations for Defunct OTI

The FMC has issued a notice on an amended and supplemental complaint filed against Reliable Logistics, LLC for their ocean transportation intermediary services. The amended complaint seeks an order for reparations against the OTI's surety, Washington International Insurance Company, in the amount of $75,000.00 plus interest and legal fees, as the OTI has ceased doing business. (FMC notice, FR Pub 04/01/09 available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7316.pdf)

10. Japanese National Charged for Participation in Conspiracy to Fix Prices of LCD Panels Sold to Dell Inc.

The Justice Department reports that on March 31, 2009, a federal grand jury in San Francisco returned an indictment charging an executive at Hitachi Displays Ltd. with participating in a global conspiracy to fix the prices of Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) panels sold to Dell Inc. for use in notebook computers. Including this indictment, four companies and eight individuals have been charged in the Justice Department's ongoing antitrust investigation into the TFT-LCD industry. To date, more than $585 million in fines have been imposed as a result. (DoJ press release, dated 03/31/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/March/09-at-286.html)

11. U.S. and China Agree on Mechanism for Strategic Economic Dialogue

The White House has posted remarks made by the President and China's President Hu before their meeting on April 1, 2009. President Hu noted that the two sides both have reached agreement on the characterization of the China-U.S. relationship in this new era and on the mechanism of the strategic economic dialogues. (Remarks, dated 04/01/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-President-Obama-and-President-Hu-of-China-before-Meeting/.)

12. EU Bans Dimethylfumarate (DMF) in Certain Imported Products

The Office of Textiles and Apparel has announced that a European Commission Decision of March 17, 2009 requires European Union Member States to ensure that products containing the biocide dimethylfumarate (DMF) are not placed or made available on the market. (ITA press release, dated 03/31/09, available at http://web.ita.doc.gov/otexa/hotiss.nsf/7bfa72c94f543da685256e5b00498a4d/6714105d2bb15b9685257577006d6f24?OpenDocument.)

13. EU Industry Advocates Green Public Private Partnerships in Research, Innovation

On the eve of the G20 summit, where the different plans for economic recovery will be discussed, European Union Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Poto&269;nik, agreed with high-level representatives of the automotive, construction and manufacturing sectors that smart investments in clean technologies should be made within a public private partnership framework. They recognized the importance of coordination of such investments at the EU level. (IP/09/520, dated 04/01/09, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/520&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)

14. CBSA Announces Tariff Amendments to Customs Tariff 2009

Canada Border Services Agency has announced tariff amendments to its Customs Tariff 2009. (Information available at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2009/mod-sum-eng.htmlt3)

15. CBSA Reviewing Its Level of Service at Marine, Rail and Air Modes

Canada Border Services Agency is conducting a two-phase Core Services Review of its service level standards and consultations. The first phase of this review focused on the air mode of transportation and was completed in 2008. The second phase will review the marine and rail modes and is currently under way. (Information available at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/agency-agence/csr-esb/framework-cadre-eng.html)

16. CPSC Lists Voluntary Recall

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published notice of the following voluntary recall:

(CPSC recalls available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelmar09.html)

17. FAS Announcements on GSM-102 Credit Guarantees for Export Sales

The Foreign Agricultural Services has recently made the following announcements with respect to GSM-102 credit guarantees for export sales:

USDA Cancels GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To Pakistan

USDA Amends GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To South Korea

USDA Amends GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To South America Region

USDA Amends GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To Mexico

USDA Announces GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To Jamaica

USDA Amends GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To China/Hong Kong

USDA Amends GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To Central America Region

USDA Amends GSM-102 Credit Guarantees For Export Sales To Caribbean Region