The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Special Import Quota #14 for upland cotton that will be established on May 22, allowing importation of 14,941,776 kilograms (68,627 bales) of upland cotton. It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than Aug. 19, and entered into the U.S. by Nov. 17. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally-adjusted average rate for the period October 2013 through December 2013, the most recent three months for which data are available.
The Commerce Department announced it will lead a trade promotion mission to Peru in November for exporters of renewable energy and energy efficiency goods and services. During the trip, U.S. exporters will meet with Peruvian officials to discuss ways to grow Peru’s renewable energy and energy efficiency market, said Commerce. The trade mission will occur in the run up to the annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Peru in December. Applications are due Sept. 15.
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the Commerce Department posted to CBP's website May 15, 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 International Trade Commission is looking into ways to improve the trade and tariff data it provides to the trade community. The commission recently posted a survey on the “kinds of trade and tariff data users seek, the formats they prefer, and the methods of delivery they want,” it said. "The data world is changing fast, and we know we need to keep up," said the ITC’s David Lundy. “This survey will give us the information we need to better meet the needs and expectations of the trade community when it comes to us for trade and tariff data." Responses are due June 30.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the May 15 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 asking for comments by May 23 on a request by Bear Archery and SOP Services for an import ban on allegedly patent-infringing archery products. Bear and SOP filed their Section 337 complaint May 9 with the International Trade Commission, alleging arrow rests and broadheads made by Ningbo Topoint Outdoor Sports of China infringe its patents (see 14051423). Bear and SOP say infringing products include Topoint’s TP813, TP815, TP105, TP2000, TP9000, TP222, and TP223. They are requesting a general exclusion order banning importation of all infringing archery products, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order directed only at imports from Topoint.
The International Trade Commission is asking for public comments by June 9 on a possible ban on imports of some windshield wiper blades made in Mexico by Trico. An administrative law judge on May 8 recommended the ITC issue a limited exclusion order barring imports of wiper blades from Trico that infringe patents held by Federal Mogul. The ITC began its investigation in June 2013, after receiving a complaint from Federal Mogul related to its patented spoiler for wiper blades that prevents lifting of the windshield wipers from airflow when driving at higher speeds, resulting in poor wiping performance (see 14051423).
Freescale Semiconductor filed a Section 337 complaint on May 12 alleging patent infringement by MediaTek integrated circuits and the devices that incorporate them. Freescale says MediaTek makes integrated circuits that infringe its patents, which are then included in televisions, Blu-ray players, smartphones, tablets and other electronics imported and sold by Acer, amTRAN, ASUS, BLU Products, Sharp, Toshiba, TPV Display Technology, Trend Smart, Vizio, Walmart, Amazon, Lenovo, Yamaha, Newegg, B&H Foto & Electronics, Costco, and Buy.com. The complaint singles out the MediaTek MT5396, MT5396 and MT5580 chips used to control televisions, the MT6589, MT6628, and MT8125 used in smartphones, and the MT8551 and MY8555 used in Blu-ray players. Freescale is asking for a general exclusion order against all integrated circuits that infringe its patents, or alternatively limited exclusion orders against each respondent to the violation. It is also asking for cease and desist orders banning import and sale of infringing chips.
The Commerce Department tentatively rejected a bid by Delverde Industrie Alimentari to get exempted from antidumping duties on pasta from Italy (A-475-818), finding in the preliminary results of a changed circumstances review that the company is not the successor to the now defunct Del Verde S.p.A. The former Del Verde, which went bankrupt in 2005, wasn’t subject to the AD duty order because it wasn’t found to have dumped pasta during Commerce’s original investigation (companies that get zero percent investigation rates are permanently exempted from duties). Delverde, which currently gets a 13.09% AD duty rate, said it should get the same treatment because it is the successor to the old company. But Commerce found that changes to the company’s ownership and production activities during the restructuring and asset sale to an Argentine firm mean the new Delverde is much different company, and isn’t eligible for the old Del Verde’s rate.
The Commerce Department found yet another two-layer solid wood flooring product exempt from antidumping and countervailing duties on multilayered wood flooring from China (A-470-970/C-570-971), in the final results of a scope ruling issued May 13. Shenzhenshi Huanwei Woods, a Chinese manufacturer, said its flooring product should be exempt because it includes only a top veneer layer and a base layer “composed of short lumber ‘fingers’ running perpendicular to the veneer (like lined-up dominoes).” The scope of the AD/CV duty orders only imposes duties on flooring “composed of an assembly of two or more types of layers or plies of wood veneer(s) in combination with a core.” Commerce found the scope clear in excluding Huanwei’s product because it only has one veneer.