The International Trade Commission is asking for comments by about March 9 on public interest factors raised by Neology’s section 337 patent complaint on radio frequency identification product imports. The RFID products at issue are mainly used for electronic vehicle registration and toll collection purposes. Neology is requesting cease and desist and limited exclusion orders against 3M Company, as well as Federal Signal Corporation and its subsidiaries.
The International Trade Commission voted to begin a Section 337 investigation to determine whether imports of compact fluorescent reflector lamps are infringing patents held by Neptun Light. Neptun requested the investigation Jan. 28, alleging the proposed respondents are importing the infringing products from China. Neptun is requesting cease and desist and limited exclusion orders.
The International Trade Administration published notices in the Feb. 28 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):
The International Trade Administration is giving advance notice that it and the International Trade Commission will consider revoking the antidumping duty orders on light-walled rectangular pipe and tube from China (A-570-914), Korea (A-580-859), and Mexico (A-201-836); antidumping duty orders on polyethylene terephthalate film from India (A-533-824) and Taiwan (A-583-837); and countervailing duty orders on polyethylene terephthalate film from India (C-533-825) and China (C-570-914) in their automatic five-year sunset reviews scheduled to begin in April. 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 and the International Trade Commission initiated the five-year Sunset Review of the antidumping duty order on persulfates from China (A-570-847).
The International Trade Administration announced the opportunity to request administrative reviews by April 1 for producers and exporters subject to 16 antidumping duty orders and five countervailing duty orders with March anniversary dates. Affected products include brass sheet and strip, glycine, tissue paper products, and drill pipe.
The International Trade Administration initiated administrative reviews for certain firms subject to antidumping and countervailing duty orders with January anniversary dates. The ITA intends to issue the final results of these reviews no later than Jan. 31, 2014.
The International Trade Administration announced its preliminary affirmative countervailing duty determination on hardwood and decorative plywood from China (C-570-986), finding de minimis CV duty rates for the three individual respondents. According to the ITA fact sheet, companies that didn’t respond to the ITA’s questionnaires were assigned a CV duty rate of 27.16 percent, and the all others rate was set at 22.63 percent. The ITA will direct CBP to suspend liquidation and collect CV duty cash deposits based on these preliminary rates. The final CV duty determination is due in July, at the same time as the companion antidumping duty final determination, although both deadlines may be extended.
Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the following voluntary recalls Feb. 27 (country of manufacture in parentheses):
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule declaring prions (proteinaceous infectious particles) to be pests under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. EPA will require efficacy data for pesticide products with prion-related claims, it said. The final rule also announced the availability of final test guidelines on generating product performance data for prion pesticide products. The final rule is effective April 29.