The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued press statements announcing that the House of Representatives and Senate have passed legislation to implement the free trade agreement (FTA) with Oman. According to Congressional and Washington sources, the next step is for the Senate to pass the U.S.-Oman FTA implementing legislation under a House bill number. Please correct ITT's 07/24/06 news, 06072499 1, which incorrectly stated that the next step was for the President to issue a proclamation.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending, effective June 27, 2006, Appendix A to 31 CFR Chapter V in order to provide an updated list of persons identified in OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List as of June 26, 2006, etc.
On June 26, 2006, President Bush transmitted to Congress legislation and supporting documents to implement the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Congress now has 90 legislative days to consider the implementing legislation, which cannot be amended. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/23/06 news, 06012315, for BP summary of U.S. and Oman signing of the FTA.) (President's message to Congress, dated 06/26/06, available at www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060626-4.html.)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued notice of the availability of a guidance entitled "Q8 Pharmaceutical Development." The guidance describes the suggested contents for the pharmaceutical development section of a regulatory submission in the ICH M4 Common Technical Document (CTD) format and indicates areas where the provision of greater understanding of pharmaceutical and manufacturing sciences can create a basis for flexible regulatory approaches. Written or electronic comments on agency guidance may be submitted at any time. (D/N 2005D-0021, FR Pub 05/22/06 available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-7727.pdf)
Washington Trade Daily reports that a U.S. Department of Agriculture official told the Senate Agriculture Committee that the U.S. sugar program will all but be abandoned by January 1, 2008 as duty-free imports are allowed without constraint from Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). According to the article, on May 12, 2006, the USDA will take a look at the latest global production and demand report on sugar, which may direct further expansion of tariff-rate quotas for the rest of the year. (WTD dated 05/11/06, www.washingtontradedaily.com.)
On April 26, 2006, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on "Authorization of Customs and Trade Functions" in order to review the operation of customs and trade functions in the federal government. This review will assist the Finance Committee in preparing legislation to reauthorize those functions.
The Journal of Commerce reports that mishandling of hazmat cargo is an industry-wide problem and cites several accidents in recent years involving containerized shipments of hazmats. According to the article, National Cargo Bureau statistics show that about one-fifth of the containers that it inspects are found to have deficiencies such as improper blocking and bracing, damaged containers or improper documentation. (JoC, dated 04/03/06, www.joc.com.)
American Shipper recently reported that a few weeks before Census was expected to publish its long-awaited regulations for mandatory electronic filing of export information, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) refused to approve the regulations unless two significant changes were made in the Automated Export System (AES). The article states that first, DHS and CBP want Census to either eliminate post-departure filing in AES (Option 4) or substantially increase the requirements for accepting new companies into the program. DHS and CBP also do not want existing post-departure filers simply grandfathered into the mandatory program. Second, the article states that DHS asked Census to make a "National Interest Determination" (NID) to allow sharing of confidential export information with foreign governments. The article also states that CBP wants Census to give it a blanket "NID" to permit sharing of confidential export information with other federal agencies. (American Shipper, dated 04/06, www.americanshipper.com.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a report for the trade regarding the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)/International Trade Data System (ITDS) Standard Data Set (SDS), which is updated through February 20, 2006 and is based on SDS version 4.4.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a notice describing the various Automated Export System (AES) partnership agency interfaces.