The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Dec. 28 published its 2017 Annual List of Explosive Materials. The list takes immediate effect. The new list reflects no changes to the agency's list from 2016 (see 1611150070).
The Drug Enforcement Administration permanently placed the synthetic opioid MT-45 into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, in a final order. New restrictions on importation and exportation of MT-45 as a result of the listing take effect Jan. 12, 2018.
The Drug Enforcement Administration said it intends to temporarily add the synthetic opioids valeryl fentanyl, para-fluorobutyryl fentanyl, para-methoxybutyryl fentanyl, para-chloroisobutyryl fentanyl, isobutyryl fentanyl, cyclopentyl fentanyl and ocfentanil to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. DEA can issue a final order temporarily adding the substance after a period of 30 days passes. If issued, the final order will take effect immediately and will stay in effect for a maximum of three years, pending completion of a permanent scheduling order.
The World Customs Organization Policy Commission adopted a resolution meant to outline the guiding principles for cross-border e-commerce, it said in a news release. The "Luxor Resolution" addresses "eight critical aspects, notably Advance Electronic Data and Risk Management; Facilitation and Simplification; Safety and Security; Revenue Collection; Measurement and Analysis; Partnerships; Public Awareness, Outreach and Capacity Building; and Legislative Frameworks," the WCO said. The WCO commission also issued a document for the coming World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference on Dec. 10-13. That document "reaffirms the WCO’s leadership in providing policy and operational frameworks for the effective management of cross-border E-Commerce from both a facilitation and a control perspective, and clearly demonstrates its strong commitment to supporting the WTO’s Work Programme on E-Commerce, moving forward," the WCO said.
The Kissell Amendment, which generally requires that Department of Homeland Security apparel- and textile-related procurements originate from U.S. sources, typically affects procurements only falling between $150,000 and $191,000, a Government Accountability Office report found. Kissell applies only to certain textile purchases directly related to U.S. national security interests above a $150,000 threshold, and under the U.S.’s current World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) threshold of $191,000, the GAO said. Per the GPA and U.S. regulations, U.S. agencies must give foreign and domestic procurement offers equal consideration for procurements at or above $191,000.
The National Customs Brokers& Forwarders Association of America posted a summary of the Federal Communications Commission's recent final rule on importing radiofrequency equipment (see 1711010011). The agency ended its Form 740 filing requirements for RF devices and made other changes to import compliance rules earlier this month.
The Labor Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are asking for public comments on labor capacity building efforts in Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) countries, and whether they meet labor obligations under the agreement. CAFTA-DR requires the Trump administration to reach out to the public for comments to help assess labor conditions in the party countries. Congress approved funding for labor capacity building efforts in CAFTA-DR countries from fiscal year 2005 through 2017. Comments are due by 5 p.m. Jan. 2, 2018, via www.regulations.gov if submitted electronically.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is temporarily adding the synthetic opioid cyclopropyl fentanyl to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said. The listing takes effect Nov. 21, and will be in effect for up to three years.
The Fish and Wildlife Service will “put on hold” the “issuing of permits” while it reviews its decision to again allow imports of elephant hunting trophies, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement dated Nov. 17. President Donald Trump said Nov. 19 on Twitter said that a decision “will be announced next week” but that he “will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of [e]lephants or any other animal.” FWS announced the new policy on Nov. 17, after finding that the “killing of African elephant trophy animals in Zimbabwe, on or after January 21, 2016, and on or before December 31, 2018, will enhance the survival of the African elephant” (see 1711160018).
The International Trade Commission launched an investigation to examine U.S. trade in goods and services and investment in sub-Saharan Africa, the ITC announced Nov. 17. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative requested the review in a letter ITC received Oct. 23. The report is expected to be delivered to USTR by April 30, 2018. The ITC will host a public hearing to inform the review on Jan. 23, 2018, for which requests to appear should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. Jan. 9, the ITC said.