The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Aug. 29:
The value of merchandise received and exported from U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones rose for the fourth straight year to $835.8 billion and $79.5 billion, respectively, according to the recently released annual report of the FTZ Board. The report also says the proportion of shipments received at FTZs involving domestic-status merchandise rose from 58 to 65 percent, which is an increase in operations that combine U.S. and foreign inputs, said the report. The amount of merchandise received by warehouse and distribution operations shot up to $264 billion in 2013, and such operations now represent 32% of all FTZ activity, up from 25% in 2012, it said.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) recently issued the following notifications to its member countries:
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Aug. 28 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent, and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
Advanced Research Corporation (ARC) on Aug. 22 filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission alleging imports of magnetic data storage tapes are infringing its patents, in violation of Section 337. The tapes are used for long-term storage of computer data like business records, financial information, invoices, or other documents that must be retained for long periods of time but aren’t regularly accessed. ARC says IBM and Oracle are importing magnetic data storage tapes manufactured in Japan by Fujifilm, including IBM’s 3592 and Oracle’s Storage Tek T10000 T2 brand tapes. ARC is asking for limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of infringing magnetic data storage tapes by IBM, Oracle and Fujifilm. The ITC is asking for comments by Sept. 5 on public interest factors raised by the complaint (here).
The International Trade Commission is asking for public comments by Sept. 25 on a possible import ban on sleep-disordered breathing treatment systems that infringe ResMed’s patents. The ITC began its investigation in August 2013, after ResMed alleged BMC Medical and its U.S. affiliates 3B Medical and 3B Products are importing and selling patent-infringing products. The systems are used in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea by delivering pressurized air to the user to keep that user’s breathing passages open during sleep. An administrative law judge has recommended limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of infringing systems by all three respondents.
The International Trade Commission on Aug. 27 voted to begin a Section 337 investigation on patent infringement by imports of noise canceling headphones. Bose requested the investigation on July 25, alleging Beats Electronics is importing headphones from Ireland and China that copy its patented technology related to the generation of a sound to interfere with unwanted noise and cancel it out (see 14073118). Bose is seeking limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of infringing headphones by the following respondents:
The International Trade Commission is beginning an investigation to determine whether imports of windshield wipers by Federal-Mogul infringe patents held by Valeo North America. According to the complaint filed July 25 by Valeo and its Mexican affiliate Delmex de Juarez, Federal-Mogul imports wiper blades from Mexico that copy its simplified method of coupling the detachable wiper blade to the wiper arm. Valeo and Delmex are requesting limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of infringing wiper blades by the following respondents:
The Commerce Department published notices in the Aug. 28 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department initiated administrative reviews for certain firms subject to antidumping and countervailing duty orders with July anniversary dates. The agency said it intends to issue the final results of these reviews no later than July 30, 2015.