A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's website as of July 25, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)
Vanuatu ratified its World Trade Organization accession package and will become the WTO’s 157th member on Aug. 24, the WTO reported. Five other Pacific Island countries — Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa, which acceded on May 10 — are already WTO members. Vanuatu committed that from the date of accession, it will fully apply all WTO provisions and did not require recourse to any transitional period except on intellectual property and on the publication of trade information, the WTO said. Vanuatu will apply an average final bound rate of 39.7% and has made specific commitments on 10 services sectors.
The International Trade Commission said it received a request from the U.S. Trade Representative to conduct an investigation under section 131 of the Trade Act of 1974 regarding the probable economic effect of providing duty-free treatment for imports of products from Canada, Mexico and the other eight countries currently participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations on (i) industries in the U.S. producing like or directly competitive products, and (ii) consumers. The USTR’s letter was received on July 23. The investigation is still pending institution.
The International Trade Commission is publishing notices in the July 25 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent, and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will appear in another ITT article):
According to the International Trade Commission, a section 337 patent complaint on certain wireless consumer electronics devices and components thereof was filed on behalf of Technology Properties Limited LLC, Phoenix Digital Solutions LLC and Patriot Scientific Corporation on July 24. The proposed respondents are:
The International Trade Commission found no violation of Section 337 with respect to Eastman Kodak’s allegations that Apple and Research in Motion had violated some of its patents in the ITC’s investigation of certain mobile telephones and wireless communication devices featuring digital cameras, and components thereof (337-TA-703). The commission, in its review of an administrative law judge’s remand initial determination, affirmed the ALJ’s ruling that although the accused Research in Motion products and the Apple 3G infringe on one of Eastman Kodak’s patents, the patent in question is obvious. The commission terminated the investigation in light of its finding of no violation.
On July 24 the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The Food and Drug Administration issued its weekly Enforcement Report for July 25 that lists the status of recalls and field corrections for food, drugs, biologics, and devices. The report covers both domestic and foreign firms.
The Food and Drug Administration posted warning letters that it has sent to companies from Taiwan, Indonesia, and France, threatening detention without physical examination and/or suspension and revocation of licenses. Indonesian device manufacturer Gooten Innolife Corp. (here) was told that some of its products will remain on detention without physical examination until violations of current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) are corrected, and French drug manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur (here) and (here) was threatened with license suspension and/or revocation for the same reason. The FDA told Indonesian fish processor P.T. Super Saku Bali (here) that its products may be refused entry through detention without physical determination if it doesn’t submit a revised Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.
On July 24 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports: