The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is deregulating eight more pests at the port of entry, after the National Plant Board agreed with its proposals to change their status to non-actionable. The eight deregulated pests include (pests marked by an asterisk are still quarantine pests in Hawaii and/or territories):
The Agricultural Marketing Service is proposing changes to eight standards for grades of frozen vegetables to revise grade names, certain quality standards, contact information, and typographical errors. Grade standards covered by these proposed revisions are: frozen asparagus, frozen lima beans, frozen speckled butter beans, frozen cooked squash, frozen summer squash, frozen sweet potatoes, frozen turnip greens with turnips, and frozen mixed vegetables. For each of these grade standards, AMS would replace dual grade names with single letter designations, so “U.S. Grade A” or “U.S. Fancy” would become “U.S. Grade A” only; “U.S. Grade B” or “U.S. Extra Standard” would become “U.S. Grade B” only, etc. Comments on the proposed rule are due by March 18.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Jan. 14:
The International Trade Administration’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee will meet Feb. 20 at 9:30 a.m. ET to discuss ideas for improving the competitiveness of U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency exporters in foreign markets. The meeting will take place in Washington, D.C. Requests to attend are due by Feb. 15. Written comments must be also be received by that date to be considered.
The Census Bureau will hold a webinar Jan. 16 from 2-3 p.m. ET on “A Basic Guide to Exporting: How to Avoid Penalties on Export Shipments. The webinar will explore current export compliance practices, provide guidance to the Foreign Trade Regulations, and offer insight on how to avoid CBP penalties. Payment of $15 is required to attend. Registration is available here.
uPI Semiconductor appealed the results of a Section 337 patent enforcement case that resulted in a $620,000 fine for the company. The International Trade Commission imposed the fine in November, after finding violations of a consent order in the Section 337 patent investigation of certain DC-DC controllers and products containing same (337-TA-698). Complainant Richtek had alleged uPI continued to import and sell the products in the U.S., in violation of a 2010 agreement that ended the investigation.
Marvin Furniture appealed the Court of International Trade’s dismissal of its challenge to a new shipper review of wooden bedroom furniture from China (A-570-890). The International Trade Administration rescinded the new shipper review for Marvin after it found entries of subject merchandise that predated the date of first entry listed in Marvin’s new shipper review request. Marvin argued that it had the statutory right to correct the filings, but CIT said that right only applies to information the ITA requests. Marvin, on the other hand, submitted the new shipper review request on its own accord. CIT later denied a rehearing of the case Jan. 9.
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's website Jan. 11, 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 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.)
Imports rose significantly in November, leading to a $6.6 billion widening of the trade deficit to $48.7 billion, despite a concurrent increase in exports, said the Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis in their U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Report for November 2012. The report showed that, as compared to revised October 2012 levels, exports were up $1.7 billion to $182.6 billion, but imports rose by $8.4 billion to $231.3 billion. Consumer goods made up over half of the import growth in November. As compared to November 2011 totals, exports increased by 3.3 percent and imports by 2.5 percent. The U.S. trade deficit with China fell to $29 billion in November, from a revised $29.5 billion in October.
The U.S. Trade Representative sent a letter to the International Trade Commission requesting an investigation in connection with the 2012 Annual Review of the Generalized System of Preferences. The USTR requested inquiries into the economic effects of (1) designating four products eligible for GSP benefits; and (2) granting competitive need limitation (CNL) waivers for 12 products. The USTR asked for the results of the investigation by April 10.