The International Trade Commission said it extended the deadline to submit a report to the Senate Finance Committee on its investigation into the global competitiveness of Brazilian agricultural exports and its impact on U.S. agricultural exporters in third country markets to April 26, 2012 (from March 26, 2012).
The International Trade Commission is asking for comments by about April 5, 2012, on a patent complaint filed on behalf of Pragmatus AV, LLC, which alleges violations of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the U.S., the sale for importation, and the sale within the U.S. after importation of certain consumer electronics, including mobile phones and tablets (D/N 2885). 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.
The International Trade Administration announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the countervailing duty investigations of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from India and Vietnam, and negative preliminary determinations in the CV duty investigations of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from Oman and the United Arab Emirates. According to the ITA’s fact sheet, producers/exporters of subject merchandise from (1) India and (2) Vietnam received preliminary CV rates of (1) 285.95%, and (2) de minimis to 8.06%, respectively. As a result of the preliminary affirmative determinations for India and Vietnam, the ITA will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond based on these preliminary CV rates. Because of the negative preliminary determinations, no cash deposit or bond will be required for imports from Oman and the UAE.
Sources at the Food and Drug Administration state that a working group from the New York district office is currently reviewing the import filer evaluation process and will be making changes in the next few months. This follows a statement by the FDA that they recognize that the filer evaluation process currently does not distinguish between serious mistakes or omissions and typographical errors, and is working to improve this process. The FDA is also exploring procedures that would speed up this re-evaluation, which would provide an incentive for filers to improve their outcomes quickly.
Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sanchez said that, as a result of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KFTA), 98% of Korea’s tariff lines, accounting for about 73% of U.S. textile and apparel exports to Korea by value, receive duty-free treatment immediately, and virtually all footwear exports to Korea are duty-free immediately as well. In his March 22 remarks to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, Sanchez also said the International Trade Administration is working with the U.S. Trade Representative to deal with issues such as India’s recent export ban on cotton and the tariff and non-tariff barriers in Brazil, Argentina, and Turkey.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced March 22 that Japan and Kuwait signed an investment agreement, the first such agreement between Japan and a member state of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). Key provisions of the agreement include: (1) national treatment and most-favored nation treatment for investment (except in certain sectors); (2) extensive prohibition of performance requirements; (3) the obligation to observe any contracts concluded by the signatory state with investors; (4) investment protection provisions, including compensation for expropriations, etc.; and (5) the settlement of investment disputes between investors and the signatory state.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced that Japan, China, and Korea reached an accord on their trilateral investment agreement at a follow-up meeting held in Beijing on March 21. METI states that that the three countries agreed to forward necessary work toward signing of the agreement at an early stage, and that the agreement will promote discussion on a China-Japan-Korea FTA.
The Mexican Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, Francisco de Rosenzweig, completed a trip to Washington, D.C., where he met with counterparts at the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to discuss the incorporation of Mexico into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The Undersecretary said several bilateral meetings were completed that led to important advances, including a meeting with over 40 U.S. Congressmen who, according to de Rosenzweig, were receptive and showed interest in Mexico’s accession to the TPP.
According to the International Trade Commission, a section 337 patent complaint on semiconductor integrated circuit devices and products containing them was filed on behalf of Microchip Technology Inc. March 23, 2012. The proposed respondents are:
The International Trade Administration issued Federal Register notices on its recently initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on drawn stainless steel sinks from China (A-570-983 and C-570-984, respectively). The ITA will determine whether imports of stainless steel sinks from China are being, or are likely to be, sold in the U.S. at less than fair value, and whether manufacturers, producers, or exporters of stainless steel sinks from China receive countervailable subsidies.