The International Trade Administration's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is organizing a Trade Mission to Bogot and Cartagena, Colombia and Panama City, Panama, September 20-24, 2010, which will focus on helping U.S. companies launch or increase their export business in these markets. (FR Pub 03/03/10, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-4350.pdf)
Lacey Act
The Lacey Act and subsequent amendments make it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, or acquire any plant, fish or wildlife obtained in violation of U.S., tribal or foreign law, as well as any injurious wildlife. The law is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and CBP. APHIS has been implementing Lacey Act declaration requirements since 2009. Lacey Act declarations may be filed by the importer of record or its licensed customs broker, and include information on imported item's species name, value, quantity, and country where it was harvested.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has updated its Lacey Act Amendment postings by issuing a February 2010 version of its Lacey Act Primer.
On February 17, 2010, Transportation Secretary LaHood announced Recovery Act awards to fund innovative transportation projects. The TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant Program was included in the Recovery Act to spur transportation projects that promise significant economic and environmental benefits, including improvements to roads, bridges, rail, ports, transit and intermodal facilities. (White House, dated 02/17/10, available for http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/secretary-lahood-announces-funding-over-50-innovative-strategic-transportation-proj.)
The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a press release announcing that it will issue a proposed rule in February 2010 to list the Burmese python and eight other large constrictor snakes as "injurious wildlife" under the Lacey Act, which would prohibit importation and interstate transportation of the animals.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has updated the Lacey Act Declaration postings on its Website to include an updated Lacey Act Primer and a sample BRASS/ALR blanket declaration spreadsheet. APHIS is also planning an update to the declaration form (PPQ 505), and is interested in creating instructions for those filing the Lacey Act declaration electronically, etc..
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a regular feature of International Trade Today. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions.
The White House has issued a press release announcing the issuance of an Executive Order on the half-day closing of all executive branch departments and agencies of the Federal Government (except as provided in the Executive Order) on December 24, 2009. (Press release, dated 12/11/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-half-day-closing-executive-departments-and-agencies-thursday-decemb.)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service posted new guidance in November 2009 on filing Lacey Act Declarations for articles containing composite, recycled, or reused materials.
According to multiple press reports, agents with the Fish & Wildlife Service executed a search warrant at Gibson Guitar Corp's Nashville guitar plant on December 1, 2009 and seized various items, including an endangered form of rosewood from Madagascar. Andrew Ames, spokesman for the Justice Department, confirmed the raid but declined further comment. Gibson Guitar Corp. could be the first U.S. company to face prosecution under the Lacey Act Amendments.
The ITDS Board has submitted its annual report on the International Trade Data System to Congress, as required by the 2006 SAFE Port Act.1 The report includes updates on the status of ITDS implementation and the status of the Automated Commercial Environment within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, among other issues.