The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for July 3:
The Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) will host an Automated Export System Compliance Seminar and an AESPcLink Workship in Virginia Beach, VA on July 24-25, the Census Bureau said in AES Broadcast # 2012040. At the seminar on July 24, Census experts will cover the filing requirements of the Foreign Trade Regulations, Schedule B classification requirements, and provide an overview of AES. On the second day, July 25, two AESPcLink Workshops will be conducted. Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of this message.
Effective immediately, the Port of Unlading Code for Port Itapoa in Brazil has been added in the Automated Export System, the Census Bureau said in AES Broadcast # 2012041. The new code is 35180. All AESPcLink users must update their AES code tables to reflect the update to the Ports of Unlading. Users of AESDirect who file via the website at www.aesdirect.gov will have their code tables updated via the program automatically, said Census. Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of this broadcast.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is asking for comments on feasibility of automatic calculation of shipping tolerances for BIS licenses in the Automated Export System on the basis of a flat percentage applied to the dollar value of all controlled items, as opposed to the current shipping tolerances calculated on the basis of dollar value, number, or area, weight or measure. BIS said it is considering this action in order to harmonize the Export Administration Regulations with the State Department’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which applies a flat 10% shipping tolerance on dollar value to all defense articles and automatically calculates these shipping tolerances for DSP-5 licenses in AES.
The International Trade Commission issued Supplement 1 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule which, among other things, (1) implements the President’s upcoming proclamation “To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences, and for Other Purposes”; and (2) makes changes approved by the Committee for Statistical Annotation of Tariff Schedules (formulated pursuant to section 484(f), Tariff Act of 1930, as amended). These changes are effective July 1. Details follow:
Mexico's Diario Oficial of July 2, lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows:
A World Trade Organization Appellate Body partially upheld a panel’s November 2011 ruling against U.S. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements for meat products in its June 29 decision in United States — Certain Country of Origin Labelling Requirements (DS384 / DS386), the WTO said. The Appellate Body upheld the panel’s finding that the requirements discriminate against cattle and hogs imported from Canada and Mexico, but reversed its finding that the requirements do not serve a legitimate purpose.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the allocation of $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2012 preparedness grant programs. DHS preparedness grants were reduced by nearly $1 billion from the FY 2011 enacted level and $1.5 billion below the President’s FY 2012 request, it said. Included in the FY2012 grants is more than $97 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, and strengthen risk management capabilities in order to protect against improvised explosive devices and other non-conventional weapons, DHS said.
The International Trade Commission is publishing notices in the July 2 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):
The International Trade Commission is asking for comments by about July 11 on a June 27 patent complaint filed on behalf of ObjectVideo, Inc., which alleges violations of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the U.S., the sale for import, and the sale within the U.S. after import of certain video analytics software, systems, components thereof, and products containing same (D/N 2902). ITC is asking for comments on any public interest issues that might affect ITC consideration, including whether the issuance of an exclusion order and/or cease and desist order would impact the public interest.