U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently posted to its Web site certain new and updated Trade Support Network (TSN) committee Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) user requirement recommendations and ACE Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) message drafts.

On January 15, 2004, President Bush issued Executive Order (EO) 13324, effective 12:01 a.m. EST on January 16, 2004. EO 13324 terminates the national emergency which was originally declared in EO 13194 (Sierra Leone) and the scope of which was expanded in EO 13213 (Liberia). (FR Pub 01/20/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-1322.pdf)

According to government sources, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is planning to conduct a "document accuracy test" of textiles and apparel that are entered as quota-free and visa-free using entry type '01.'

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. and Costa Rica have concluded negotiations to finalize Costa Rica's participation in the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

(a) Hang Lung and Bee Lian have preliminary de minimis rates of 0.12% (Hang Lung) and 0.14% (Bee Lian). As a result, liquidation is not suspended for these companies nor are cash deposits or the posting of a bond required for AD purposes.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has announced that the U.S. and Bahrain were scheduled to launch negotiations on a free trade agreement on January 26, 2004 to lower tariffs and barriers and expand trade between the two countries. According to the press release, subsequent negotiation rounds will alternate between the U.S. and Bahrain with a goal of completing the negotiations by the end of 2004. (USTR press release dated 01/26/04, http://www.ustr.gov/releases/2004/01/04-05.pdf.)

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a proposed rule which would amend its regulations governing proof of financial responsibility for ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs) by allowing an optional rider for additional coverage to be filed with a licensed non-vessel operating common carrier's (NVOCC's) proof of financial responsibility for such carriers serving the U.S. oceanborne trade with China.

In Candle Corporation of America (CCA) and Blyth, Inc. v. International Trade Commission (ITC) et al., the Court of International Trade (CIT) determined that a domestic producer that failed to support the antidumping (AD) petition on petroleum wax candles from China is not eligible to collect offset distributions under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (Byrd Amendment).

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated antidumping (AD) duty investigations of certain frozen and canned warmwater shrimp from Brazil, Ecuador, India, Thailand, China, and Vietnam.