On April 21, 2004, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) published a notice denying a petition submitted by Oxford Industries, Inc., which had alleged that certain 100% cotton woven flannel fabrics, made from 21 through 36 NM single ring-spun yarns of different colors, classified in HTS 5208.43.00, of 2 X 1 twill weave construction, weighing not more than 200 grams per square meter, for use in apparel articles1, could not be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner.
Washington Trade Daily reports that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has recently decided to cancel the next round of technical level talks on steel subsidies and to delay a meeting of senior officials that had been scheduled for early May 2004. According to the article, a U.S. trade official stated that the multilateral talks on curbing government subsidies to the steel sectors and global overcapacity have hit a stalemate, and may need to be moved to another forum to find an agreement. (WTD dated 04/21/04, www.washingtontradedaily.com)
The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has issued a notice on certain changes which take effect on May 15, 2004 regarding the import and export of seahorses and other tropical fish.
On March 4, 2004, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 1047, the "Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2003."
On April 1, 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a first set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and responses regarding the mandatory advance electronic information requirements for inbound air cargo.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the Commerce Department have both issued notices announcing the results of the April 21, 2004 meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meeting. Highlights of these results include (partial list):
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announcing that on April 18, 2004 a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) dedicated lane was opened southbound at the Champlain, NY/Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec border crossing. (CBP Press Release, dated 04/19/04, available at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/newsroom/releases/2004/0419fast-e.html)
(BP has issued a new version of this ITT summary in order to correct the summary's BP Note listing the case numbers used for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) purposes. This new version, with corrected text between the double asterisks (**), supercedes the original version issued in ITT's 04/02/04 news as 04040225.)
The Commerce Department's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has issued its February 2004 Textile and Apparel Trade Balance Report (containing data through February 28, 2004). The Trade Balance Report shows imports, exports, and the resulting U.S. trade balance for yarn, fabric, made-ups, and apparel, both individually and collectively (total). The Trade Balance report displays this information for the world, as well as for major U.S. trading partners.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site an April 16, 2004 revised set of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and responses regarding the implementation of its final rule on the presentation of cargo manifests to CBP 24 hours prior to ocean vessel lading at foreign ports (24-Hour Rule).