U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued its Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (Offset Act) annual report of disbursements for fiscal year (FY) 2003.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued two notices announcing that, following receipt of requests from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), it has instituted investigations under 19 USC 3804(f) regarding the potential economy wide and selected sectoral effects of the proposed Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) including the Dominican Republic, and the proposed U.S.-Morocco FTA.
In the March 10 and 17, 2004 issues of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 11 and 12), CBP issued notices (a) proposing to revoke two classification rulings on karaoke machines, (b) proposing to modify two classification rulings on certain multiple switches, and (c) granting Lever-Rule protection to Tomy Corporation. 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 Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned Congress that tying trade agreements to labor or human rights standards amounts to protectionism that may ultimately harm the U.S. According to Greenspan, using such standards as a cure for the migration and outsourcing of jobs overseas could actually result in job losses. (WSJ Pub 03/12/04, www.wallstreetjournal.com)
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule, effective March 18, 2004, which, among other things, amends 15 CFR Parts 745 and 774 to implement certain understandings reached at the June 2003 plenary meeting of the Australia Group (AG).
On March 18, 2004, in DaimlerChrysler Corporation v. U.S., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) reversed the Court of International Trade's (CIT) denial of 9802.00.80 duty benefits for the top-coat painting of certain trucks assembled in Mexico.
On March 4, 2004, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 1047, the "Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2003."
U.S. government sources state that the International Trade Commission (ITC) is expected to soon post to its Web site Revision 1 of its electronic 2004 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. (HTS). Sources state that the ITC's goal is to have Revision 1 posted by mid-April 2004.
| Proposed legislation to amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to expand certain trade benefits to eligible sub-Saharan African countries | 03/25/04 | Senate Committee on Foreign Relations |
| \"The Homeland Security Department's Plan to Consolidate and Co-Locate Regional and Field Offices: Improving Communication and Coordination\" | 03/24/04 | Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs and Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations; House Committee on Government Reform |
| Bureau of Customs and Border Protection | 03/25/04 | Subcommittee on Homeland Security; House Committee on Appropriations |
| U.S. Trade Representative | 03/25/04 | Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, Judiciary and Related Agencies; House Committee on Appropriations |
| Proposed budget estimates for fiscal year (FY) 2005 for the Transportation Security Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard | 03/23/04 | Subcommittee on Homeland Security; Senate Committee on Appropriations |
| Current status of U.S. and Mexico relations, focusing on immigration policy and the bilateral relationship | 03/23/04 | Senate Committee on Foreign Relations |
| Intellectual property piracy issues | 03/24/04 | Senate Committee on Foreign Relations |
| Legal Activities; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives | 03/24/04 | Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Government, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies |
| Highway Safety Programs | 03/25/04 | Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies |
Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. The following have been issued since BP's most recent update: