Two Chinese nationals were charged in a 46-count superseding indictment for a variety of charges including software piracy and illegally exporting technology to China, reports Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. The indictment charges that between April 2008 and June 2011, Xiang Li distributed over 500 pirated copyrighted works to at least 325 purchasers located in Delaware, at least 27 other states and over 60 foreign countries. More than one-third of the purchases were made by individuals within the U.S.
The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a final rule, effective April 18, 2012, which amends the Export Administration Regulations by adding to the Entity List1, 3 persons in Canada and Jordan.
Four WTO members reported their commitment to opening their markets for products from least-developed countries, at a meeting April 16, 2012, says the World Trade Organization. The four members, India, China, Taiwan, and Korea, provided information on their duty-free schemes at the April 16 meeting of the sub-committee on least-developed countries (LDCs). The sub-committee, a subsidiary body to the Committee on Trade and Development in which all WTO members may participate, is dedicated to discussing issues of particular importance to least-developed members.
The chair of the World Trade Organization’s sub-committee on least developed countries, Ambassador Steffen Smidt of Denmark, said nine informal consultations were held since the last meeting in January 2012. Members discussed the ways to “further strengthen, streamline and operationalize” current guidelines on the process for the poorest countries to become a member of WTO.
The International Trade Administration issued a notice announcing that the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee will hold an open meeting on May 2-3, 2012, via conference call, to consider and vote on proposed recommendations from the Domestic Policy, Finance and Trade Subcommittee that address issues affecting U.S. competitiveness in exporting renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services, such as access to finance and removal of trade barriers. The Committee will also review and vote on a draft letter to Commerce Secretary Bryson regarding the need for a strong domestic policy to encourage growth in the U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency markets as a strong base for exports.
The Department of Defense is seeking comments by June 18, 2012, on an extension of its information collection, pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), concerning freight classification.
The Bureau of Industry and Security announced a partially open meeting of its Sensors and Instrumentation Technical Advisory Committee for May 1, 2012, in Washington, DC. The Committee advises the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Export Administration on technical questions that affect the level of export controls applicable to sensors and instrumentation equipment and technology. During the open session, the committee will hear remarks from BIS, have industry presentations, and discuss new business.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is inviting recommendations and suggestions for workshops covering specific sectors and targeted countries or regions where training in the U.S. approaches to development and use of standards may facilitate trade, increase U.S. exports, and/or benefit U.S. industry. NIST will offer a limited number of these Standards in Trade (SIT) workshops each year, which are designed to introduce U.S. stakeholders to emerging standards and conformity assesment in other countries and regions; identify regulatory information and market access issues; etc. Recommendations may be submitted at any time and will be considered on a quarterly basis.
The International Trade Administration issued the final results of its antidumping duty changed circumstances review of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Vietnam (A-552-802). The ITA determined that C. P. Vietnam Corporation is the successor-in-interest to C. P. Vietnam Livestock Corporation. As such, the ITA will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to apply the same AD cash deposit rate in effect for C.P. Livestock (1.04%) to all entries of subject merchandise from C.P. Vietnam that were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after April 18, 2012.
The International Trade Commission determined that a U.S. industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of bottom mount refrigerator-freezers from Korea that the International Trade Administration has determined are subsidized and from Korea and Mexico that the ITA has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.