The Federal Maritime Commission is asking for public comments on an information collection related to ocean common carriers that are subject to the FMC’s regulations. The notice said controlled carriers must ensure that they don’t maintain rates or charges in their tariffs and service contracts “that are below a level that is just and reasonable; nor establish, maintain, or enforce unjust or unreasonable classifications, rules, or regulations in those tariffs or service contracts that result or are likely to result in the carriage or handling of cargo at rates or charges that are below a just and reasonable level.” Public comments are due Oct. 22.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies "Trade Guys" said that while there is some pressure on Congress to get the Generalized Systems of Preferences benefits program renewed, and restrict de minimis, competing pressures make it unlikely bills will become law this year.

Republican attorneys general from 21 states are asking Temu how it certifies that products sold on its website "are not made with slave labor," among other questions about Americans' consumer data.

The State Department this week is publishing a final version of a rule to expand its regulatory definition of activities that don’t need a license because they don’t qualify as exports, reexports, retransfers or temporary imports. The rule, effective Sept. 16, is largely consistent with the proposed version, though the agency made changes to narrow its scope and make sure certain temporary imports will still require a license.

Former President Donald Trump said Aug. 14 that he wants to impose a 10% to 20% tariff on “foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years,” making what seems to be a slight change to the 10% tariff on all U.S. imports that he proposed last year (see 2308290005).

A direct final rule released by the Federal Maritime Commission this week will set requirements for how and when the official FMC seal can be used. It’s also meant to prevent “any outside person or organization” from using the seal without commission approval, the FMC said, adding that there have “been recent occurrences of use of the seal by outside parties that FMC believes is misuse of the seal. Having a codified policy will help to ensure that the seal is used for lawful purposes only.” Violators could face administrative action or criminal penalties, the commission said. The rule takes effect Oct. 15 unless the FMC receives a “significant adverse comment” on the new requirements by Sept. 12.

The Federal Maritime Commission issued a “policy statement” this week to explain that it can use subpoena authority and other “administrative investigatory authorities” when probing agreements between and among ocean carriers and marine terminal operators that may be anticompetitive.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has added the longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys), a fish species found off the Pacific Coast, to the list of endangered and threatened wildlife. The designation, and resulting import and export restrictions, will be effective Aug. 29, it said in a notice.

The Federal Communications Commission is launching a voluntary labeling program for wireless consumer “Internet of Things” products that have been certified and tested to meet FCC IoT cybersecurity standards, the commission said in a final rule released July 29.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is temporarily adding two benzimidazole-opioids -- N-desethyl isotonitazene and N-piperidinyl etonitazene -- to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a temporary scheduling order. The listing takes effect July 29, and will be in effect for up to three years.