The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for July 31:
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the Commerce Department posted to CBP's website July 30, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at http://adcvd.cbp.dhs.gov/adcvdweb.
The World Customs Organization recently announced the completion of the new version of its Harmonized System (HS) tariff schedule. The body made over 200 changes to tariff subheadings and notes (here), including modernizing changes such as new provisions for light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, hybrid cars and buses, and the removal of any provision for typewriters. Other changes affect the classification of tropical woods, bamboo and rattan; mosquito nets; monopods, bipods, and tripods; and the distinction between sports equipment in Chapter 95 and sports apparel in Chapters 61 and 62. Adopted by the WCO Council in June, the changes will enter into force on Jan. 1, 2017. As a signatory, the U.S. must amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule by that time to reflect the changes to the international classification scheme. The U.S. and other WCO members now have six months to notify the international organization of objections before changes take effect.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of July 30 lists notices from the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of Economy as follows:
The Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the suspension of imports of elephant trophies taken in Zimbabwe from April 4 until Dec. 31, 2014 first announced in April (see 14050931). The agency recently found that sport hunting in Zimbabwe is not enhancing the survival of the species as required by the Endangered Species Act for African elephants. The decision does not affect imports of any elephant trophies taken before April 4. Additionally, it does not prohibit the taking of elephant trophies, just the importation, so there is a chance that elephant trophies taken between April 4 and Dec. 31 may be imported at a later date, said FWS.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing increases of its fees for importer registration and the importation of motor vehicles. The agency’s proposed rule would raise fees for registered importers, vehicles imported under eligibility petitions and bond/cash deposit processing. It would decrease some fees for review and processing of conformity certificates. The fees were last changed in 2012. If finalized, the new fees would take effect with the beginning of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2014.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the July 30 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):
The International Trade Commission is beginning a Section 337 investigation to determine whether imports of non-volatile memory from Spansion infringe Macronix’s patents. Macronix requested the investigation in late June, alleging the infringing flash memory chips are subsequently included in automotive components, infotainment systems, and network equipment imported by several other companies (see 14070129). It is asking the ITC for a general exclusion order banning imports of all flash memory chips, or alternatively limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders directed at the following respondents to the ITC’s investigation:
The Commerce Department published notices in the July 30 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):
New requests for scope rulings were filed with the Commerce Department during the week of July 21-27. The Commerce Department will determine whether these products are subject to antidumping and countervailing duties.