The International Trade Commission recently issued two updates to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to reflect changes for Section 301 tariffs on products from China. In Revision 4, the ITC implemented the increase in duties on tranche three of goods subject to the tariffs from 10 to 25 percent, as announced in early May (see 1905060040). The increase in duty rates for subheadings 9903.88.03 and 9903.88.04, as well as U.S. Notes 20(e) and 20(g) to subchapter III of chapter 99, took effect May 10. The subsequently issued Revision 5 implemented a new batch of exclusions from tranche one of the tariffs under new subheading 9903.88.08 and U.S. Note 20(k) to subchapter III, and made conforming changes to U.S. Note 20(a) and U.S. Note 20(b). It also implemented new subheading 9903.88.09 for goods subject to tranche three of duties that are still subject to a 10 percent duty because they were exported from China before May 10 and entered before June 1. U.S. Note 20(l) explains the new provision. Also in Revision 5 but unrelated to Section 301 tariffs, the ITC updated Statistical Annexes A and B of the HTS to reflect the new name of North Macedonia.

The Centers for Disease Control is temporarily suspending importation of dogs from Egypt effective May 10, it said in a notice. The ban comes as a result of several cases of rabies found in dogs imported from Egypt, even on dogs imported with a valid rabies certificate, indicating a failure in the Egyptian rabies vaccination regime, CDC said. Dogs may still be imported from Egypt if the importer obtains advance written approval from the CDC, the agency said. Approval will be granted “on a limited and case-by-case basis and at CDC’s discretion,” it said. “This suspension will remain in place until appropriate veterinary controls have been established in Egypt to prevent the export of rabid dogs,” CDC said.

Trade finance, customs clearance and country of origin verification are three areas where blockchain can “transform international trade” by making transactions faster, more efficient and more transparent, according to a recently published study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. The financial, trade and retail industries are currently testing or implementing blockchain technologies in each of these areas in an effort to explore the benefits of blockchain, though cooperation between the public and private sectors is necessary for the technology to mature, the study said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration permanently placed the synthetic opioid beta-hydroxythiofentanyl into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, in a final rule. The substance had already been temporarily listed in Schedule I since 2016 (see 1605110023). The final rule takes effect May 8.

The Drug Enforcement Administration intends to temporarily list the synthetic cathinones N-ethylhexedrone, α-PHP, 4-MEAP, MPHP, PV8, and 4-chloro-α-PVP in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice. If the agency finalizes its determination, the chemical will be subject to import and export restrictions for schedule I substances. DEA must wait at least 30 days before finalizing the listing. The agency can temporarily list controlled substances for up to three years before a permanent listing is required.

The Federal Trade Commission approved the consent orders to settle two "Made in USA" claims involving importers, the FTC said in a news release. Patriot Puck, an importer of hockey pucks, and Sandpiper, which sells recreational and outdoor equipment, agreed to bans on improper labeling, as well as compliance monitoring and record-keeping agreements in their settlements (see 1809130036). The FTC voted 3-2 to approve the final orders in both of these cases, with Commissioners Rohit Chopra and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter voting no. The settlements were seen as too lenient on the companies by the dissenting commissioners. Slaughter previously voted in favor of allowing the settlements to move forward, but she said in a statement that she has since changed her mind. "I am persuaded that, for brazenly deceptive representations that a wholly imported product is 'Made in U.S.A.,' consent orders without disgorgement or admissions fail to exact a meaningful cost from the lawbreaking company and its executives sufficient for effective general deterrence."

The Fish and Wildlife Service is increasing amounts of civil penalties for violations of the laws and regulations it administers, including the Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act, it said in a final rule. The annual increase for inflation raises penalties about 2 percent over penalty amounts set in 2018, FWS said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is temporarily adding five synthetic cannabinoids -- 5F-EDMB-PINACA, 5F-MDMB-PICA, FUB-AKB48, 5F-CUMYL-PINACA, and FUB-144 -- to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice. The temporary scheduling takes effect April 16, 2019, and will remain in effect until April 16, 2021, at which point it may be extended for one more year before it has to be made permanent to remain in effect.

A recent blog post by Public Citizen, a nonprofit organization that rallied opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, identifies changes to NAFTA that it says make it possible that Democrats will support the revision. The April 12 post says the "major rollback of investor-state dispute settlement," the wage content element of the auto rules of origin as well as the tighter rule, and the new labor chapter are all reasons that traditional free-trade foes have not lined up to defeat the pact in Congress. "That congressional Democrats, unions and others who have outright opposed past pacts seek improvements rather than the deal’s demise reveals there is a path to build broad support for it," Public Citizen said. The blog ostensibly was an analysis of how the International Trade Commission might estimate the economic impact of the NAFTA revision, but concluded that its "report is not likely to reveal much about either the pact’s probable effects or its prospect for congressional passage."

Speaking at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Taro Aso called for increased trade with the U.S. while a Chamber official said signing a trade deal with Japan is a “priority.”