The Labor Department Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA) recommended that the U.S. enter bilateral consultations regarding concerns that Colombia is running delays in its labor inspection process, among other issues cited in a DOL trade compliance report (here). OTLA released a report Jan. 11 citing concerns about Colombia’s upholding of obligations under its trade deal with the U.S. In it, the OTLA identifies specific concerns with regard to the Colombian Labor Inspectorate’s ability to ensure that Colombian businesses treat collective bargainers fairly, particularly as the situation pertains to the inspectorate’s ability to travel to rural areas, high staff turnover, inconsistency of national strategy, and a lack of a systematic collection of fines related to collective bargaining and free association rights. AFL-CIO and five Colombian labor organizations on May 16 petitioned the OTLA under the labor and dispute settlement chapters of the Colombia-U.S. Trade Promotion Agreement, claiming the Colombian government had not complied with labor obligations under the agreement (see 1605170036).
The Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule (here) listing the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), a species from the eastern and Midwestern U.S. and Ontario, Canada, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect Feb. 10.
The International Trade Commission will begin to accept comments on petitions for duty reductions under the miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) process on Jan. 11 as planned (see 1701090011), the commission said in an official notice (here). The commission will send preliminary reports to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees in June, including analysis and recommendations, the ITC said. The commission will send final reports to the committees in August on whether the petitions meet requirements for MTB inclusion and recommended actions. The Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees will make the final decisions on whether the imported articles will be included in a bill.
The International Trade Commission will accept comments on petitions for duty reductions under the miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) process from Jan. 11 to 5:15 p.m. on Feb. 24, the commission said Jan. 6 in guidance for filing comments (here). Any member of the public, including individuals, companies and other entities with an interest in the matter, as well as the party that filed the petition, may also comment on the petitions, the ITC said. Commenters may object, support or take no position on the petitions, using the comment to supply additional information, but commenters may not amend a petition through the process, the agency said. Individuals wishing to file a comment should go to the MTB Petition System (MTBPS) website, locate the desired petition, and select “Comment on Petition,” filing a separate comment for each petition commented on, and completing the comment submission in one session, the commission said. Commenters who want to amend a petition will have to withdraw the original comment and file a new one including changes or corrections, the ITC said.
The Energy Department is amending energy efficiency standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps (here). The agency also recently amended test procedures for these products (see 1701040019). Compliance with the amended energy efficiency standards is required by Jan. 1, 2023.
The Energy Department is setting new energy efficiency test procedures for certain types of compressors (here). Compliance with the agency’s final rule is mandatory for representations of energy efficiency beginning July 3, 2017, DOE said.
The Energy Department is amending energy efficiency test procedures for central air conditioners and heat pumps, in a final rule (here). Some changes in the final rule will be mandatory for representations of energy efficiency starting July 4, 2017, with others becoming mandatory starting Jan. 1, 2023.
The Centers for Disease Control will on Dec. 30 require submission of several forms via the Document Imaging System for entries filed electronically in ACE, it said (here). Under a new agency policy, filers of electronic entries will have to file the following forms via DIS: APHIS/CDC Form 2 (Request to Transfer Select Agents and Toxins); CDC Form 0.0728 (Permit to Import or Transfer Etiologic Agents or Vectors of Human Disease); rabies vaccination certificates for dogs; CDC approval of confinement agreement issuance letters and CDC permission letters for importation of African rodents, civets or turtles; CDC non-human primate notification messages; and certifications of materials not known to contain or suspected of containing an infectious biological agent, or has been rendered noninfectious.
The Energy Department is amending energy efficiency test procedures for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers, in a final rule (here). The amended test procedures are mandatory for all representations of energy or power consumption of cooking products on or after June 26, 2017, DOE said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration said it intends to temporarily add six synthetic cannabinoids -- 5F-ADB, 5F-AMB, 5F-APINACA, ADB-FUBINACA, MDMB-CHMICA and MDMB-FUBINACA -- to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (here). DEA can issue a final order temporarily adding the substances 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.