Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
At a meeting of the World Customs Organization Secretary General and CBP Acting Commissioner Ahern in late October, CBP officials confirmed the (full) entry into force on January 26, 2010 of the Importer Security Filing (10+2 data) requirements. The WCO Secretary General raised members' continued concerns about U.S. 100% scanning requirements by 2012, noting that the Globally Networked Customs concept could facilitate the risk management approach advocated by the WCO. (Report, posted 10/28/09, available at http://www.wcoomd.org/speeches/?v=1&lid=1&cid=2&id=176)
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1. CBP Confirms to WCO "Full Entry into Force" of 10+2 in Jan 2010
2. DHS and WCO Announce Results of Operation ATLAS on Cash Smuggling
On November 6, 2009, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano and WCO Secretary General Mikuriya announced the preliminary results of Operation ATLAS-the largest multilateral operation in history targeting cash smugglers that took place from October 26-30, 2009. According to the press release, more than 80 countries participated in Operation ATLAS, which led to more than $3.5 million in cash being seized and the identification of $24 million in undeclared currency that may have otherwise gone undetected at ports of entry around the world during the five-day period. (Press release, dated 11/06/09, available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1257519291243.shtm.)
3. USTR, Korean Ambassador Discuss Pending U.S.-Korea FTA, Etc.
U.S. Trade Representative Kirk and Korea's Ambassador to the U.S. Han met on November 5, 2009 to discuss the Administration's review of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), as well as the upcoming meetings between Ambassador Kirk and his counterpart, Trade Minister Kim, on the margins of next week's APEC meetings in Singapore and the summit meeting between President Obama and President Lee in Seoul on November 19. (Press release, dated 11/05/09, available at http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/blog/2009/november/ambassador-kirk-meets-koreas-ambassador-us-han-duk-soo)
4. Locke Announces New Top Priority of Business Visa Reform
During remarks at the District Export Council on November 4, 2009, Secretary Locke announced that he has created a departmental task force with the mandate to reform business visas - in order to make it easier for foreign company executives to enter the U.S. to do business. (Speech, posted 11/04/09, available at http://www.commerce.gov/NewsRoom/SecretarySpeeches/PROD01_008591
5. Commerce to Hold Conference on US-EU Safe Harbor Framework
On Nov 16-18, 2009, the Commerce Department is holding "Across the Divide: Successfully Navigating Safe Harbor", a conference on the US-EU Safe Harbor Framework. The conference will examine the progress that the Framework has made, review the changes made to the process for approving binding corporate rules, look at new paradigms for privacy compliance, and address the role information security plays in data protection and privacy. (Notice, posted 11/05/09, available at http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=765010)
6. USDA Temporarily Suspends Certification of Beef for Export to Taiwan
The USDA has amended its instructions on the export of beef to Taiwan to state that beef produced from cattle slaughtered on or after November 2, 2009 must not be certified for export to Taiwan at this time. USDA states that more information about the eligibility of beef will be provided as it becomes available. (Notice, dated 11/04/09, available at http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/Taiwan_Requirements/index.asp)
7. Director of Singapore Firm Sentenced for Illegal Export of Aircraft Parts to Iran
The Bureau of Industry and Security and the Justice Department have announced that Laura Wang-Woodford, a U.S. citizen who served as a director of Monarch Aviation Pte, Ltd., a Singapore company, was sentenced in federal court to 46 months' incarceration and issued a $500,000 fine for exporting controlled U.S. aircraft parts from the U.S. to Singapore and Malaysia and then re-exporting those items to companies in Iran, without obtaining the required U.S. government licenses. (dated 11/05/09 available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/news/2009/doj11052009.htm )
8. ITA Issues Preliminary AD Determination on Oil Country Tubular Goods from China
The ITA has issued a fact sheet on its preliminary affirmative AD duty determination on oil country tubular goods from China, with preliminary CV duty rates ranging from zero to 99.14%. (Fact sheet, dated 11/05/09, available at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/factsheets/factsheet-prc-OCTG-AD-Prelim-110509.pdf)
9. EC Says Its Trading Partners Took Over 220 Restrictive Measures in Last 12 Months
According to a new report by the European Commission, the European Union's major trade partners took more than 220 potentially trade restrictive measures between October 2008 and October 2009. Measures range from classical trade barriers such as import bans or tariff increases to more sophisticated measures such as "buy national" policies. Classical barriers alone potentially affect roughly 5% of EU exports. (Press release, dated 11/06/09, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1681&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)
10. EU Requests WTO Panel on Chinese Raw Material Export Restrictions
The European Union has joined the U.S. and Mexico in requesting the establishment of a WTO panel on Chinese export restrictions on a number of key raw materials, which it considers are in clear breach of international trade rules. (Press release, dated 11/04/09, available at http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=481)
11. OFAC Adds Individual/Entity to Specially Designated Nationals List
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has added one individual and one entity to its Specially Designated Nationals list. (List, dated 11/05/09, available at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/actions/20091105.shtml)
12. FAS Global Agriculture Information Network Reports
The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN reports:
13. Revised FDA Import Alerts
The Food and Drug Administration has posted revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
Hard and Soft Candies Containing Chili Pepper
Fish and Fishery Products for Importer and Foreign Processor (Manuf) Combinations
Raw and Cooked Shrimp from India
14. CBP Accredits/Approves Firm as Commercial Gauger and/or Laboratory
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice stating that it has accredited and approved the following company as a commercial gauger and/or laboratory for petroleum and petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils, and to test petroleum and petroleum products for customs purposes, in accordance with 19 CFR 151.12 and 151.13, on the effective dates listed (see individual notice for dates of next triennial inspections):
| Company | Effective Date |
| Intertek USA, Inc. (Chelsea, MA) | 06/25/09 |
(CBP notices, FR Pub 11/06/09, hyperlinked to date)