The Consumer Product Safety Commission postponed until Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. ET its vote on whether to issue its draft final rule on requirements for third-party conformity assessment bodies that test children’s products in support of Children’s Product Certificates. The rule would establish requirements for acceptance of the accreditation of a third-party conformity assessment bodies, and address adverse actions against such bodies. It would also amend audit and inspection requirements related to the third-party testers. The vote was originally scheduled for Feb. 13.
The International Trade Commission is publishing notices in the Feb. 13 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 Feb. 22 on public interest factors raised by Tela Innovations’ Section 337 patent complaint on integrated circuit devices and products containing same. Tela is alleging patent infringement by imports of smartphones and tablets by HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, and Pantech, and is requesting limited exclusion and cease and desist orders.
The International Trade Administration published notices in the Feb. 12 Federal Register on the following AD/CV proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
On Feb. 12 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Defense Department is lifting restrictions for certain defense items produced in the U.K. that limited procurement to sources in the national technology and industrial base. The waiver is effective from March 1, 2013, until Feb. 28, 2014, and covers air circuit breakers; gyrocompasses; electronic navigation chart systems; steering controls; pumps; propulsion and machinery control systems; and totally enclosed lifeboats. DoD is lifting these restrictions to comply with a memorandum of understanding with the U.K. on defense procurement signed in 1975 and most recently renewed in 2004.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Feb. 13:
The Bureau of Industry and Security posted its order denying the export privileges of Connor Hayden Kraegel. BIS had sent out a notification Feb. 12 on Kraegel’s addition to the Denied Persons List without providing details. According to the denial order, Kraegel was convicted in 2011 of exporting a set of AN/AVS-6 night vision goggles without the required State Department authorization. The goggles were articles on the U.S. Munitions List. Kraegel’s export denial order is in effect until Aug. 24, 2021.
XL Specialty Insurance Company is appealing the Court of International Trade’s Jan. 2 ruling ordering payment of $1,826,531.80 in liquidated damages from lumber importer Millenium Lumber Distribution as a result of its failure to obtain export permits from the Canadian government, as required by the Softwood Lumber Agreement. XL Specialty Insurance was Millenium’s surety, and is liable for the damages. The surety is specifically appealing the court’s assessment of prejudgment interest.
The former president and CEO of GEM Manufacturing was ordered Feb. 7 to pay $1.1 million in fines and perform community service for his role in the illegal trade of protected black coral, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ashu Bhandari of the U.S. Virgin Islands pleaded guilty Nov. 7 to one count of false classification of goods. The black pearl imported from Taiwan was classified as “plastic” after GEM Manufacturing was unable to obtain legitimate CITES certificates, it said.