In mid-February 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated that it was delaying the compliance date for inbound air shipments from its previously announced date of March 4, 2004.

On February 24, 2004, World Trade Organization (WTO) arbitrators decided that the European Union (EU) has no current right to retaliate against the U.S.' Antidumping Act of 1916 (1916 Act). However, the arbitrators did allow for the EU to retaliate if final judgments or settlements are made under the 1916 Act in the future.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued its first version (dated February 12, 2004) of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on its final rule requiring the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (sea, air, rail, or truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S.

According to The Wall Street Journal, a growing coalition of steel producers and consumers is considering whether to petition the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to limit exports of scrap steel, as recent growth in exports to Asia and elsewhere has sent scrap prices soaring. (WSJ, dated 02/12/04, www.wsj.com)

According to government sources, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expected to delay, until April 2004 or later, its "document accuracy test" of textiles and apparel that are quota-free and visa-free, and entered using entry type '01.'

The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) held a quarterly meeting on February 6, 2004 in Washington, DC to discuss, and receive updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials on, various customs and trade issues.

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:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued electronic bulletin board (CEBB) messages which contain new instructions from the International Trade Administration (ITA) on accepting blanket certifications for certain exclusions from the countervailing (CV) duty order on dynamic random access memory semiconductors (DRAMS) from South Korea (C-580-851).

The ITA states that it will treat Dofasco and Sorevco as a single entity for this review.

In December 2003, the U.S. concluded negotiations with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on a comprehensive U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). In January 2004, the U.S. concluded its CAFTA negotiations with Costa Rica.