The Commerce Department will hold the first meeting of a new Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness on Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C., it said. The committee, comprised of 40 senior-level private sector representatives of multiple industries and supply chain experts appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, will advise the Secretary, the U.S. Department of Transportation and other U.S. agencies on supply chain issues that affect the international competitiveness of U.S. businesses. Committee members represent supply chain firms, associations, stakeholders, community organizations, and experts from academia. The DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson will serve on the Committee as non-voting members.

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notice for Oct. 12:

Imports and exports once again declined in August, and the drop in exports again outpaced the fall in exports, leading to further widening of the U.S. goods and services deficit by $1.7 billion to $44.2 billion, said the Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis in their U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Report for August 2012. The report showed that, as compared to revised July 2012 levels, exports were down $1.9 billion to $181.3 billion, and imports were down $0.2 billion to $225.5 billion. As compared to August 2011 totals, exports increased by 1.6 percent and imports by 1 percent. The U.S. trade deficit with China narrowed to $28.7 billion in August, down from $29.4 billion in July.

The International Trade Administration is asking for applications by Dec. 10 to participate in the 2014 International Buyer Program (IBP). Through the IBP, the ITA selects domestic trade shows which will receive ITA assistance in the form of global promotion in foreign markets, providing export counseling to exhibitors, and providing export counseling and matchmaking services at the trade show.

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notice for Oct. 5:

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Oct. 4:

The International Trade Administration extended to Oct. 12 the deadline for applications to participate in its trade mission to South Africa and Zambia. The original deadline was Oct. 5. The ITA invited sectors including: electric power and energy efficiency technologies, equipment and services; productivity enhancing agricultural technologies and equipment; transportation equipment and infrastructure; mining equipment and technology; and water. (See ITT’s Online Archives 12052541 for the ITA’s original notice, and 12081330 for the addition of the water sector to the trade mission.

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Oct. 1-2:

The International Trade Administration will lead a delegation of U.S. companies to participate in a Renewable Energy Policy Business Roundtable Dec. 3 in Tokyo. The Department of Energy will chair the round table, the ITA said. Following the roundtable, the delegation will travel to northeast Japan for site visits to learn firsthand the current condition of reconstruction after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami and the role of renewable energy in those efforts. According to the ITA, Japan’s decision to phase out nuclear power creates business opportunities for U.S. clean energy companies. Participants must register online no later than Oct. 31. Applications will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

The period of the quantitative limitation for preferential tariff treatment under the regional fabric provision for imports of qualifying apparel articles from Ecuador through July 31, 2013, is being extended, according to the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. For the period beginning on October 1, 2012, and extending through July 31, 2013, the aggregate quantity of imports eligible for preferential treatment under the regional fabric provision is 1,341,030,128 square meters equivalent, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 1. Apparel articles entered in excess of that will be subject to otherwise applicable tariffs, it said. Further information: Richard Stetson, 202-482-3400.