Deanna Tanner Okun, former chair of the International Trade Commission, was hired by Adduci, Mastriani & Schaumberg as a partner.
New lobbyist registrations on trade issues include:
CBP posted an Oct. 9 version of its CF 1400 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Entrances) electronic query report of the Vessel Management System (VMS), in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by entrances. CBP also posted a version of its CF 1401 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Clearances) electronic query report of the VMS, in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by clearances.
CBP issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of Oct. 9. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, and tobacco; and certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, OFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, OFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying textile articles and/or other articles; the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc.
The Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs) offer a significant amount of hope and concern among the trade industry, said individuals involved in several different facets during interviews. The CEEs, which offer industry-dedicated, virtual locations for entry summary review, are currently in a pilot phase but are widely expected to see an increased role, potentially meaning a major shift in the customs world. Several concerns remain, said industry and CBP officials, but there's also hope that they will provide for simpler and more uniform customs processes.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) will push for new export opportunities for U.S. businesses and discuss a potential U.S.-EU free trade agreement (FTA), his office said in a press release. Baucus is in Europe for a series of high-level meetings with leaders regarding the eurozone’s ongoing fiscal crisis and its potential impact on the United States and the entire global economy, it said.
The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA*Engage gave Congress overall positive scores in a new interim report card on trade issues. Some 64 percent of Senators and 43 percent of Representatives received an A or B for "enacting trade legislation critical to U.S. economic growth and job creation," they said. Most legislative movement had to do with pending free trade agreements or reauthorization of existing programs, rather than new major trade initiatives, according to their report. A final report will be released at the end this Congress.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP issued a memorandum saying the fiscal year 2013 refined sugar tariff rate quota that opened on October 1 oversubscribed at opening moment. The pro rata percentage is 28.62180% or 0.2862180.
CBP posted a fact sheet on Simplified Entry (SE), which provides information on how the SE process works, advantages to the approach and the addition of other parts within the SE pilot.