The Centers for Disease Control issued a final rule clarifying its permit requirements for imports of animals and animal products. Effective April 5, importers of microorganisms, animals and animal products that are or contain infectious biological agents, infectious substances, or disease vectors will need to implement biosafety measures as a condition of the permit, and may be subject to CDC inspections. Importers will also have to verify compliance of their shippers. Certain exceptions for imports already authorized by other agencies and animals and animal products exempted from permit requirements will apply.
The Agricultural Marketing Service released the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) for the week of Jan. 30 - Feb. 5. The weekly report contains data on container availability for westbound transpacific traffic at 18 intermodal locations in the U.S.1 from the eight member carriers of the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA).2 Although the report is compiled by AMS, it covers container availability for all merchandise, not just agricultural products.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of Jan. 25, lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows:
The U.S. Trade Representative requested an International Trade Commission investigation on the U.S. Korea Free Trade Agreement, in a letter received Jan. 30 by the ITC. According to the ITC, the letter asked that the ITC look into KFTA’s effect on U.S. small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as the agreement’s effects of the KORUS on the production, distribution, and export strategy of U.S. SMEs.
The International Trade Commission is publishing notices in the Jan.31 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):
Neptune Technologies & Bioresources and its subsidiary Acasti Pharma filed a Section 337 complaint at the International Trade Commission Jan. 29, alleging that ten companies are importing and selling omega-3 extracts that infringe its patents. The products at issue are extracts of omega-3 fatty acids from Antarctic krill. Neptune says the ten companies are infringing on its patents related to the extraction and purification process of the “krill oil.” The company is requesting limited exclusion and cease and desist orders against all respondents. The complaint proposed the following as respondents:
The International Trade Commission is asking for comments by about Feb. 9 on public interest factors that it should take into consideration in the Section 337 patent investigation of certain fluorescent reflector lamps and products and components containing same. Neptun requested the investigation, alleging that Maxlite, Technical Consumer Products, Salco Products, and Litetronics International are importing reflector lamps from China that infringe Neptun’s patents, and selling them in the U.S. Neptun is asking for limited exclusion and cease and desist orders.
The International Trade Administration is giving advance notice that it and the International Trade Commission will consider revoking the antidumping duty order on persulfates from China (A-570-847) in their automatic five-year sunset reviews scheduled to begin in March. Advance notice is given because automatic sunset reviews have short deadlines. An order will be revoked unless the ITA finds that revocation would lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and the ITC finds that revocation would result in continuation or recurrence of material injury to a U.S. industry. As a result, a negative determination by either the ITA or the ITC would result in the revocation of the order.
The International Trade Administration announced the opportunity to request administrative reviews by Feb. 28 for producers and exporters subject to 22 antidumping duty orders and four countervailing duty orders with February anniversary dates. Affected products include frozen warmwater shrimp, preserved mushrooms, pipe fittings, etc.
The International Trade Administration and the International Trade Commission initiated the five-year Sunset Review of the antidumping duty order on sodium hexametaphosphate from China (A-570-908).