Trade associations representing various industries have submitted comments largely in support of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's June 2011 ANPR proposals to address problems that have arisen with the implementation of the Lacey Act declaration requirement for imported plants and plant products. APHIS’ proposals include, among other things, a “de minimis” exception for small amounts of plant materials.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources state that the agency is still planning to discontinue the use of Post-Entry Amendments (PEAs) for entry summaries filed in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), effective September 22, 2011. For entry summaries filed after that date, only Post Summary Corrections (PSCs) will be allowed in ACE.
The Government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices for September 13-14, 2011 (note that some will also be given separate headlines):
The International Trade Administration has issued the final results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Vietnam (A-552-802), which sets the AD duty cash deposit rates for 30 companies (and their affiliates) and the Vietnam-wide entity. These rates, which are officially effective September 12, 2011, are expected to be implemented by CBP soon.
The International Trade Administration has issued the preliminary results of the 17th antidumping duty administrative review of certain corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products (CORE) from Korea (A-580-816). These proposed rates are not in effect and may be amended.
The International Trade Administration has issued the preliminary results of the countervailing duty administrative review of corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products (CORE) from Korea (C-580-818) for Hyundai HYSCO Ltd. The ITA preliminarily determines that HYSCO would have a zero percent cash deposit rate. However, this rate is not in effect and may change when the final results are issued.
On August 30, 2011, the International Trade Administration issued a Fact Sheet announcing its preliminary negative countervailing duty determination for bottom mount combination refrigerator-freezers from Korea (C-580-865). As the preliminary determination only found de minimis (less than 1%) countervailable subsidies, there will be no CV cash deposit or bond requirements.
The International Trade Administration has issued the final results of its antidumping duty administrative review of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from China (A-570-893), which sets AD cash deposit rates for two separate rate respondents and 80 respondents that did not demonstrate eligibility for a separate rate, and are part of the China-wide entity. These rates, which are officially effective August 19, 2011, are expected to be implemented by CBP soon.
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule, effective September 15, 2011, to increase the information it collects from manufacturers (including importers) on certain chemical substances listed on the TSCA Chemical Substances Inventory. The final rule also requires chemical manufacturers and importers to submit the information electronically to EPA every four years, and revises the reporting thresholds. EPA notes that a webinar on the changes will be held on September 23, 2011.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a fact sheet and presentation on the work being done to model simplified entry and financial processes for imports, as called for by Commissioner Bersin, who asked industry and government to consider how import trade processes can be re-engineered to meet the technological needs of the 21st century. CBP hopes to pilot these models in fiscal year 2012.