The Federal Aviation Administration is issuing a proposed rule that would require unmanned aircraft systems to include remote identification systems. The proposal would require that standard UASs broadcast identification and location information directly from the unmanned aircraft, and at the same time transmit that information to a network of remote ID “service suppliers” through an internet connection. For UASs that have a range of no more than 400 feet, a limited ID system would be allowed that would transmit information through the internet only, with no broadcast requirements. The FAA is proposing that all UASs comply with these design and manufacturing requirements within three years of the effective date of the final rule, with limited exceptions. “No UAS could be produced for operation in the United States after two years and no UAS could be operated after three years except in accordance with the requirements of this proposal,” the FAA said. Comments are due March 2.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are seeking new members to serve on seven agricultural trade advisory committees, the agencies said Dec. 18. Members will advise both agencies on trade agreements and trade policy, and will provide technical advice on international trade issues that impact both foreign and domestic production in “specific commodity sectors,” the USTR said. The committees will focus on trade in animals and animal products, fruits and vegetables, grains, feed, seeds, processed foods, sweeteners, tobacco, cotton and peanuts. Applicants must have “significant expertise” in agriculture and international trade and will serve four-year terms. Members must also be willing to serve “without compensation for time, travel or expenses,” the USTR said. The committee holds “frequent” conference calls and generally meets in Washington, D.C., twice a year. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2020, and can be found on the USDA website.

The International Trade Commission issued Revision 19 to the 2019 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The latest update is to add the latest round of exemptions from tranche 3 Section 301 tariffs on products from China, published by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Nov. 29 (see 1911260056). The exclusions are described in new U.S. Note 20(nn) to subchapter III of chapter 99, and are classifiable in new subheading 9903.88.35. The ITC also made conforming changes to other tariff schedule provisions on Section 301 tariffs. The exclusions take effect retroactive to Sept. 24, 2018, when the third tranche of tariffs first came into force.

The International Trade Commission issued Revision 18 to the 2019 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The only change was the addition of Mali to the list of countries in Note 2(d) to subchapter XIX of chapter 98 that are considered lesser developed beneficiary countries for the purposes of textile imports under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The addition of Mali was mandated by Presidential Proclamation 9955, issued Oct. 25. The HTS changes took effect Nov. 30.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is setting 2019 quotas for the manufacture and importation of controlled substances in schedules I and II of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice. Substances not listed in the table included in DEA's notice will have a quota of zero. DEA is also setting quotas for the Schedule I chemicals ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine and pseudoephedrine.

The Federal Communications Commission approved national security supply chain rules on Nov. 22, barring equipment from Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE from networks funded by the Universal Service Fund and establishing rules that could block other providers (see 1910300036). “Both Huawei and ZTE have close ties to the Chinese government and military apparatus and are subject to Chinese laws requiring them to assist with espionage, a threat recognized by other federal agencies and the governments of other nations,” an FCC news release said: “The public funds in the FCC’s USF … must not endanger national security through the purchase of equipment from companies posing a national security risk.”

The Fish and Wildlife Service is issuing a final rule listing the meltwater lednian stonefly (Lednia tumana) and the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier), two aquatic insect species from Montana and Canada, and Montana and Wyoming, respectively, as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Though the agency recently ended blanket import-export restrictions for threatened species, FWS is including a 4(d) rule for these species that prohibits importation and exportation without a permit. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect Dec. 23.

The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security updated its International Import Certificate on Oct. 31 to reflect several changes, including an amendment that extends the validity of the certificate from six months to 24 months after the date of issue. The IIC certifies to the U.S. that the importer will only re-export their goods in compliance with U.S. export controls

The World Trade Organization cannot negotiate trade liberalization, and trade distorting agricultural subsidies are getting worse, not better, said Aluisio de Lima-Campos, chairman of the ABCI Institute, the Portuguese acronym for Brazilian International Trade Scholars. He was leading a panel Nov. 5 at American University, the end of a daylong trade symposium co-sponsored by ABCI.

The International Trade Commission quietly re-added an exemption from solar safeguard tariffs for bi-facial cells to the tariff schedule in its most recently issued edition. Not found in the ITC’s usual change record for Revision 16 (see 1911010048), the unannounced amendment implements the Court of International Trade’s short-term extension to the effective date of the exclusion’s withdrawal (see 1910290033 and 1910080054). The exclusion had been removed in Revision 15 of the tariff schedule, issued only days earlier (see 1910250028). The exclusion could soon again be taken out, as the effective date of the withdrawal was only delayed to Nov. 8. CIT is set in the coming days to rule on whether to issue a temporary restraining order stopping the government from withdrawing the exemption and again taking it out of the tariff schedule. Invenergy Renewables, the company that filed the challenge of the exclusion’s withdrawal, has also requested a preliminary injunction to the same effect.