The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration imposed tougher certification requirements on dolphin-safe tuna importers in a July 9 final rule. The new requirements are being put in place to implement an adverse World Trade Organization decision from May 2012 that found U.S. dolphin-safe tuna labeling regulations discriminate against Mexican tuna products. Beginning on the rule’s July 13 effective date, NOAA will require all tuna labeled as dolphin-safe to meet strict “captain’s statement” requirements that were formerly applicable only to tuna caught in the Eastern Tropical Pacific region. Fisheries Certificate of Origin (FCO) accompanying tuna imports will accordingly have to reflect the new certifications for the tuna to be labeled dolphin-safe. The new requirements will not apply to tuna caught on fishing trips that began before July 13.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of July 8 lists a notice from the Secretary of the Economy as follows:
The Commerce Department published notices in the July 8 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Food and Drug Administration issued its weekly Enforcement Report for July 3 that lists the status of recalls and field corrections for food, drugs, biologics, and devices. The report covers both domestic and foreign firms.
A new draft guidance is now available on Medical Device Reporting (MDR) adverse event reporting and recordkeeping regulations for manufacturers, said the Food and Drug Administration. Once finalized, the guidance will update FDA policy and clarify the agency’s interpretation of the MDR regulations, it said. The guidance will be available on FDA’s website (here).
On July 5, the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for July 8:
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the Commerce Department posted to CBP's website July 5, 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.)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service finalized regulatory definitions for “common cultivars” and “common food crops” excluded from Lacey Act coverage, in an interim final rule set for publication in the July 9 Federal Register. The rule adopts an August 2010 proposal with some changes, including the addition of several definitions intended to clarify several “common cultivar” and “common food crop” terms. The interim final rule is effective Aug. 8, except for some clarifying definitions that are effective Sept. 9.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of July 5 lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows: