The International Trade Administration issued the preliminary results of its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on light-walled rectangular pipe and tube from Turkey (A-489-815) for one company, finding an AD rate of zero for Noksel Celik Boru Sanayi A.S. These preliminary results are not in effect. The ITA may modify them in the final results of this review and change the estimated AD cash deposit rate for this company.
The International Trade Administration made a preliminary affirmative determination that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of utility scale wind towers from China (C-570-982). The ITA found preliminary CV rates of 13.74% to 26%, which are effective June 6. U.S. Customs is expected to implement these CV cash deposit requirements soon. Pursuant to the ITA's October 2011 final rule, no bond will be accepted in lieu of a cash deposit.
On June 5 the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
On June 5 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails June 5 announcing changes to some Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service said the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis (CCMAS) invited member countries and interested observers to participate in an electronic working group to develop Explanatory Notes on Principles for the Use of Sampling and Testing in International Food Trade. The working group, which will work in English, is led by Germany with the assistance of New Zealand, the U.S., the Netherlands, and Japan. A web-based shared workspace will be provided. Each member country or observer organization may nominate one "participant" and 3 "guests" who will be granted access to the shared workspace. Persons interested in receiving updates from the U.S. participant should contact the U.S. Codex Office (USCodex@fsis.usda.gov) by June 15. Other members and observer organizations should contact Meena Chandra of New Zealand (meena.chandra@maf.govt.nz) by June 30.
User fees for cotton producers for 2012 crop cotton classification services will continue at $2.20 per bale, the same as in 2011, said the Agricultural Marketing Service. According to AMS, this fee and the existing reserve are sufficient to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2012 crop, including costs for administration and supervision.
Mexico removed restrictions on imports from four California counties of some commodities, including stone fruit and table grapes, following eradication of the European grapevine moth from Fresno, Mendocino, Merced, and San Joaquin counties, said APHIS. The commodities had been under quarantine since the first detection of the moth in 2009. Mexico also began requiring additional treatments on exports of fresh table grapes and stone fruit from counties under quarantine for the pest, said APHIS. Mexico removed its restrictions on exports following APHIS’ announcement that the moths had been eradicated in the four counties.
The Agricultural Marketing Service renewed exemptions and prohibitions for 145 substances on the National Organic Program’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances that were set to expire in 2012, and also amended 7 and removed 3 exemptions, pursuant to AMS’ 2012 sunset review.
The Court of International Trade sustained the International Trade Administration's recalculation of two Chinese companies' labor surrogate values in the final results of the ITA's 2001-02 administrative review of the antidumping order on fresh garlic from China (A-570-831). The ITA requested the voluntary remand in response to a challenge by Jinan Yipin Corporation, Ltd. and Shandong Heze International Trade and Developing Company, in light of the appeals court’s holding in Dorbest Ltd. v. U.S. that the ITA’s former regression-based calculation methodology was contrary to law. Plaintiffs agreed with the redetermined surrogate value.