A "snapshot" report just released by the Government Accountability Office reminded Congress that the GAO has studied -- and made recommendations -- on many aspects of how to manage economic competition with China, including providing more resources to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, improving information sharing with companies to keep more counterfeits out of U.S. commerce, and improving the tariff exclusions process for steel and aluminum imports.

The Department of Energy is amending its energy efficiency standards for dishwashers beginning in April 2027, it said in a direct final rule released April 23.

The Energy Department is amending its energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers, it said in a final rule April 22. DOE “has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified,” it said. Compliance with the amended standards is required for distribution transformers manufactured or imported on or after April 23, 2029, the agency said. The final rule goes into effect July 8.

The Federal Maritime Commission is seeking comments by June 17 on what data elements are communicated between transportation service providers and importers and exporters about "containers moving through marine terminals." It also seeks information on how changes are conveyed and where communication is most likely to break down "or information is most likely to be conveyed inaccurately," the commission said. The effort, the commission said in a request for information released April 15, is an expansion of the commission's May 2023 Marine Transportation Data Initiative and its associated August 2023 request for information regarding data availability, accuracy, and exchange, the FMC said.

Two subsidiaries of a U.S.-based cleaning product supplier voluntarily dismissed their charge complaint against major ocean carrier Mediterranean Shipping Co., telling the Federal Maritime Commission April 10 that the companies have agreed to reach a “resolution of this matter outside of” FMC proceedings. Impact Products and Safety Zone, subsidiaries of Supply Source, accused MSC in February of issuing unfair detention and demurrage and committing other violations of U.S. shipping laws, leading to over $200,000 in financial damages (see 2402140014).

The Drug Enforcement Administration is extending for one more year the temporary listing of three synthetic benzimidazole-opioid substances -- butonitazene, flunitazene and metodesnitazene -- in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice released April 10. The synthetic benzimidazole-opioids, first temporarily listed in 2022 (see 2204110029), will now remain listed in Schedule I until April 12, 2025. DEA also released a proposed rule to permanently list these synthetic benzimidazole-opioids in Schedule I, with comments due May 13. Substances may be temporarily listed under the CSA for three years.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is permanently placing the synthetic benzimidazole-opioids etodesnitazene, n-pyrrolidino etonitazene and protonitazene in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a final order released April 10. The substances had already been temporarily listed in Schedule I since 2022 (see 2204110029). The final order is set to take effect April 11.

The Federal Maritime Commission on April 5 warned the ocean transport industry against imposing unreasonable detention and demurrage fees as shippers and carriers adjust their supply chains due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month (see 2403260047).

The Federal Maritime Commission will be conducting network maintenance April 6, and said some of its systems will “experience intermittent outages” from 9 a.m. to noon EDT. Those include the FMC’s common carrier tariff and marine terminal operator schedule registration form; its application for a license as an ocean transportation intermediary; its Foreign Based Unlicensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier Registration; its Agreement Library; its eAgreements Filing System; and its List of FMC Licensed & Bonded OTIs. The FMC said its Service Contract Filing System, or SERVCON, will “remain available” throughout.

U.S. and EU officials speaking in Belgium didn’t divulge many details about what they expect to come from the sixth meeting of the Trade and Technology Council this week, saying mostly that they hope the forum will continue no matter who wins upcoming elections in the U.S. and Europe (see 2403120066).