Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank that advocates for free trade, acknowledged that nationalist impulses are understandable in this COVID-19 pandemic, but said that countries should be careful not to make things worse with their reactions. Simon Lester, associate director of trade policy studies at Cato, said on an April 15 webinar that protectionists usually talk about wanting to increase exports while raising barriers to import competition. But now, 79 countries have lowered their tariffs on medical goods, and many of the major economies are restricting exports of personal protective equipment and ventilators.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is finalizing controls on benzylfentanyl and 4-anilinopiperidine and their amides, carbamates and salts as list I chemicals under the Controlled Substances Act. The two chemicals are used in the manufacture of fentanyl, DEA said. DEA is not setting a threshold for domestic and international transactions for these chemicals, so all transactions of chemical mixtures containing benzylfentanyl or 4-anilinopiperidine will be regulated at any concentration and will be subject to control under the CSA, the agency said. The final rule takes effect May 15.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is extending its listing of all “fentanyl-related substances” to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said. The agency's temporary scheduling order, which covers “any substance not otherwise controlled in any schedule,” including substances not yet developed as of publication of DEA's notice, “that is structurally related to fentanyl” in certain ways, had been set to expire Feb. 6, 2020. But a law passed that day extended the temporary listing until May 6, 2021, the DEA said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is adjusting 2020 production quotas for controlled substances in schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act, as well as quotas for the manufacture and importation of the Schedule I chemicals ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine and pseudoephedrine. “This increase is in response to the current nationwide COVID-19 public health emergency,” the DEA said.
The Federal Trade Commission is proposing new EnergyGuide labeling requirements for portable air conditioners. The agency’s proposed rule would require manufacturers to attach yellow EnergyGuide labels to portable air conditioners, and mandate that sellers post label information to their websites and catalogs. The label would be identical to the current room air conditioner label in content and format, the FTC said. Compliance with the requirements would be required by Jan. 10, 2025.
The Drug Enforcement Administration permanently placed the synthetic cannabinoid FUB-AMB into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, in a final rule. The substance had already been temporarily listed in Schedule I since 2017 (see 1910310051). The final order takes effect March 30.
The International Trade Commission recently issued Revision 5 to the 2020 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The new version implements recent changes to Section 301 tariffs on the European Union related to the Boeing-Airbus dispute at the World Trade Organization (see 2002180040). New subheading 9903.89.52 is added for newly tariffed knives from the United Kingdom and Germany. Subheading 9903.89.05 should be amended to increase the tariff on new airplanes from France, Germany, Spain and the U.K. from 10% to 15%, but the change was not actually made in the tariff schedule. Notes 21(a), (g) and (q) are amended to reflect the changes, including the removal of a classification for blended Scotch and Irish whiskies that carried no additional duty. These changes took effect March 5.
The International Trade Commission recently issued Revision 4 to the 2020 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, adding new exclusions from Section 301 tariffs and amending units of quantity for a pair of subheadings for U.S. goods returned under Chapter 98. New U.S. Note 20(ss) is added for the new exclusions, as announced by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Feb. 19 (see 2002190015). New subheading 9903.88.40 is created for goods entered under the new exclusions, and conforming changes are made elsewhere to Chapter 99 provisions on Section 301 tariffs. For U.S. goods returned, units of quantity for subheadings 9801.00.1030 and 9801.00.1031 (which cover goods of chapters 71 and 82, respectively) are changed to a footnote that says quantities should be reported in the units provided in chapters 1-97. Previously the units were “No. and g” and “No. and kg,” respectively.
The Federal Trade Commission is proposing to amend its regulations under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act to incorporate the most recent international voluntary standard for generic fiber names. Updates to ISO 2076 approved in 2013 add seven generic fiber names not defined in the earlier version of the standard: chitin, ceramic, polybenzimidazol, polycarbamide, polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent, protein, and trivinyl. Comments are due March 19.
The U.S. and Kenya amended the U.S.-Kenya Air Transport Agreement to expand the commercial partnership between the two countries and create “new opportunities” for all-cargo airlines and exporters, the State Department said Feb. 5. The amendment will allow U.S. all-cargo airlines to fly between Kenya and a third nation without needing to stop in the U.S., and will give Kenya all-cargo carriers “reciprocal rights to serve” the U.S., the agency said. The changes will “fully open the Kenyan air cargo services market to U.S. carriers,” the State Department said.