In the March 10, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 11), CBP issued notices (a) proposing to revoke or modify three classification rulings on textile tool holders, and (b) proposing to revoke two classification rulings regarding certain metal couplings and connectors. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.

The Commerce Department's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has issued its Major Shippers Textiles and Apparel Report, which contains selected general import statistics by date of import from the Census Bureau through January 31, 2004 by country and category (including merged and part category).

Washington Trade Daily reports that House Ways and Means Committee Chairman hopes to see action on H.R. 2896, his bill that would repeal the Extraterritorial Income Tax Exclusion (ETI) before the House adjourns for the Easter recess in late March/early April. According to the article, H.R. 2896 would replace ETI with a new tax cut for domestic manufacturers and propose an array of international law changes aimed at making U.S. businesses more competitive abroad. The article notes that Congress is under pressure to repeal ETI in order to end sanctions against certain U.S. goods which the European Union imposed as of March 1, 2004. (WTD dated 03/18/04, www.washingtontradedaily.com.)

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice announcing that it has received a petition from FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage, Inc. (FedEx) for an exemption from the tariff publishing and adherence requirements of the Shipping Act of 1984, as amended (Shipping Act) in order to permit it to depart from the provisions of its tariff and enter into confidential service contracts for ocean transportation services with shippers.

On March 4, 2004, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 1047, the "Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2003."

At the March 3, 2004 Joint Industry Group Annual Meeting, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS') Border and Transportation (BTS) Director of Cargo and Trade Policy outlined its three goals for the next 12 months with regard to cargo security. Components of these goals include, among other things, identifying and filling in remaining gaps in security, possibly fully launching Smart Box, and developing a Threat and Vulnerability Process.

The Commerce Department's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has issued its January 2004 Textile and Apparel Trade Balance Report (containing data through January 31, 2004). The Trade Balance Report shows imports and exports and calculates the trade balance for U.S. textile and apparel trade with the world and with major U.S. trading partners.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that on March 1, 2004, the Bush Administration submitted to Congress the 2004 Trade Policy Agenda and 2003 Annual Report on the Trade Agreements Program.

On January 30, 2004, the General Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report to Congressional requesters entitled Food Safety: FDA's Imported Seafood Safety Program Shows Some Progress, but Further Improvements are Needed.

The International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a notice announcing that, following receipt of a request from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), it has instituted an investigation under 19 USC 3804(f) regarding the potential economy wide and selected sectoral effects of the proposed U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).