The World Trade Organization announced that it has updated its 2011 exports and imports data for world merchandise trade and for trade in commercial services in the WTO’s Statistics Database. For an overview of the key figures, see the latest issue of the WTO’s statistical newsletter StatTALhere. The WTO statistics database is available here.
The International Trade Commission is publishing notices in the July 26 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 Administration published notices in the July 26 Federal Register on the following AD/CV proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, the scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
On July 25 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 is asking for comments on possible changes to its regulation requiring animal drug sponsors to submit reports, including periodic drug experience reports containing drug distribution data showing the amount of the drug distributed domestically and the amount exported. Specifically, FDA is seeking comments on: (1) whether it should require the submission of additional sales and distribution information including an estimate of the amount of each active antimicrobial ingredient sold or distributed for use in each approved food-producing animal species; (2) how to compile and present its annual summary report of the sales and distribution data collected from sponsors of antimicrobial new animal drugs; and (3) alternative methods available to FDA for obtaining additional data and information about the extent of antimicrobial drug use in food producing animals. Comments are due by Sept. 25.
On July 25 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service issued a final rule to amend the regulations that govern the import of animals and animal products by consolidating the list of factors APHIS considers when evaluating the animal health status of a foreign region from 11 factors to 8 factors, and by setting out new factors APHIS will consider when evaluating a region as historically free of a specific disease. APHIS made no changes to its Dec. 28, 2011 proposed rule. This final rule is effective Aug. 27.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for July 26:
“The Obama administration is committed to encouraging trade and investment with Sub-Saharan Africa, which is a region rich with emerging opportunities for U.S. exporters,” said Francisco Sánchez, under secretary for International Trade, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on African Affairs on the International Trade Administration’s efforts to increase U.S. trade and investment with Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Court of International Trade affirmed the International Trade Administration’s second remand redetermination of a scope determination for certain steel nails from China (A-570-909), and dismissed the case in its entirety. The original determination had excluded nails imported in home tool kits from the scope of the AD order. In response to a challenge by Mid Continent Nail Corporation, CIT had remanded the ITA’s determination in May 2011, finding that the ITA has applied contradictory approaches in cases where merchandise covered by AD orders is imported in kits with non-covered items. CIT then found fault with the results of the ITA’s first remand redetermination in March, saying that "[t]he nails in question …are unambiguously subject to the Final order,” and remanded again. In this affirmed second remand, the ITA found the nails to be in scope, but did not address application of a uniform test to products imported in kits. The ITA's remand redetermination is available here.