The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice stating that it is postponing until no later than April 19, 2004 (from February 14, 2004) the preliminary countervailing (CV) duty determination on carbazole violet pigment 23.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that the European Union (EU) is poised to impose trade sanctions on billions of dollars of U.S. goods starting in March 2004, as congressional leaders signaled their inability to reach agreement on repeal of the U.S. Foreign Sales Corp./Extraterritorial Income Exclusion Act (FSC/ETI) tax regime. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled this tax deduction illegal and given the EU permission to impose as much as $4 billion in sanctions a year. According to an EU official, if the law isn't repealed, the EU is certain to retaliate starting March 1, 2004. (WSJ Pub, 01/26/04, www.wallstreetjournal.com)
In U.S. v. Inn Foods, Inc., the Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled that litigation filed by the U.S. on December 14, 2001 to collect Customs duties and fees from Inn Foods for violations of 19 USC 1592 regarding produce imported from Mexico was untimely by one day.
| The President's fiscal year (FY) 2005 budget proposals | 02/03/04 | Senate Committee on the Budget |
| The President's FY 2005 budget proposals | 02/04/04 | Senate Committee on the Budget |
| Maintaining confidence in consumer products relating to mad cow disease | 02/05/04 | Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions |
| The Administration's Budget for FY 2005 | 02/03/04 | House Committee on the Budget |
| The Department of the Treasury Budget Priorities FY 2005 | 02/04/04 | House Committee on the Budget |
| Effective Strategies Against Terrorism | 02/03/04 | Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations; House Committee on Government Reform |
| Law Enforcement Efforts within the Department of Homeland Security | 02/03/04 | Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations; House Committee on the Judiciary |
| The Administration's Budget Proposals for FY 2005 | 02/03/04 & 02/04/04 | House Committee on Ways and Means |
On December 5, 2003, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a final rule which amended the Customs Regulations to provide that CBP receive, by way of a CBP-approved electronic data interchange system, information pertaining to cargo before the cargo is either brought into or sent from the U.S. by any mode of commercial transportation (sea, air, rail, or truck).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) makes available on its Web site a number of documents related to its Customs Automated Forms Entry System (CAFES).
In the January 28, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBPBulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 5), CBP issued notices (a) proposing to revoke a classification ruling on certain waterproof clogs, (b) proposing to revoke a classification ruling regarding an artificial tree, (c) revoking a classification ruling on a canister of rain repellent, and (d) revoking a classification ruling on men's or boys' suit-type jackets. CBP states that it is also revoking, or proposing to revoke, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
According to a White House press release, the President intends to appoint Andrew B. Maner, of Michigan, to be the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According to the press release, Mr. Maner currently serves as Chief of Staff and Director of the Transition Management Office of U.S. Customs and Border (CBP) for DHS. (Press Release dated 01/06/04, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/20040106-2.html)
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has preliminarily determined to revoke the countervailing (CV) duty orders on certain corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products and cut-to-length carbon steel plate products from Germany for entries of subject merchandise that have a time of entry on or after April 1, 2004.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its final results of the antidumping (AD) duty administrative review of foundry coke from China for the review period of March 8, 2001 through August 31, 2002.