The Department of Homeland Security updated its Private Sector Resources Catalog, originally created two years ago, which centralizes resources from the 23 different DHS Components into one location and categorizes them for easy access. DHS said the Catalog has information on the training, publications, guidance, alerts, newsletters, programs, and services available to the private sector from across the department.
Seung Wha Chang of Korea was appointed to the World Trade Organization's Appellate Body for four years, beginning on June 1, 2012. Chang will replace Shotaro Oshima. Chang is currently Professor of Law at Seoul National University, and has been on several WTO dispute settlement panels.
Many countries agreed on a positive list approach for controls on mercury products, said Japan's Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry, by which categories of products to be banned would be listed in an appendix of the instrument on mercury, at the Asia-Pacific Meeting before the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury, held in Kuala Lumpur on May 15-17, 2012. Furthermore, there was general agreement that it would be difficult to control finished products containing mercury-added parts, said METI, such as cars using switches and relays, and electric and electronic devices to which lamps and batteries are attached before shipping. Based on the results, the participants agreed that each country will review the draft text further for the purpose of discussing issues at the fourth session of the INC.
The International Plant Protection Convention is seeking comments on the following draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs): (1) Draft Annex to ISPM 11: Pest risk analysis for plants as quarantine pests (2005-001); and (2) Draft revision of Annex 1 to ISPM 15: Approved treatments associated with wood packaging material (2006-011). Comments are due by September 30, 2012.
The International Trade Commission is publishing notices in the May 24, 2012, 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):
According to the International Trade Commission, a section 337 patent complaint on certain rubber resins and processes for manufacturing same was filed on behalf of SI Group Inc. on May 21, 2012. The proposed respondents are:
According to the International Trade Commission, a section 337 patent complaint on certain electronic imaging devices was filed on behalf of FlashPoint Technology, Inc. on May 23, 2012. The proposed respondents are:
On May 23, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The Food and Drug Administration issued its weekly Enforcement Report for May 23, 2012, that lists the status of recalls and field corrections for food, drugs, biologics, and devices. The report covers both domestic and foreign firms.
The Food and Drug Administration announced a meeting on “Requirements for Importing Food and Drug Administration Regulated Products Into the United States” in Des Plaines, IL on July 18, 2012. The topics to be discussed are FDA regulations with respect to importing pharmaceutical products, medical devices, food products, as well as technology which applies to brokers and forwarders. Attendees must submit registration information (including name, title, firm name, address, telephone, and fax number) to Lisa Misevicz at lisa.misevicz@fda.hhs.gov by July 2, 2012.