NEW YORK -- The Court of International Trade held oral argument on Jan. 18 in Chinese exporter Ninestar's case challenging its placement on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, addressing the company's motion for a preliminary injunction against its listing and its bid to unseal and unredact the record in the case (Ninestar Corp. v. U.S., CIT # 23-00182).
The World Customs Organization is considering changes to the tariff nomenclature that underlies the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. and over 200 other country tariff schedules around the world to potentially make classification easier and allow for more detail and accuracy in the identification of goods.
Private equity firm TPG acquired a majority stake in Sayari, it said in a news release Jan. 16. The agreement between the companies allows TPG “to make an up to $228 million strategic majority investment in Sayari,” the release said. “Sayari’s founders, employees, and existing investors will retain a significant stake in the company.” Sayari recently won government contracts for services to support anti-forced labor efforts by CBP and the Labor Department (see 2401050051).
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America is asking members to comment on Red Sea shipping experiences ahead of a Federal Maritime Commission meeting on Feb. 7 (see 2401120057). A Jan. 17 email sent by the NCBFAA asked members to share their experiences in the Red Sea and how diversions due to Houthi missile attacks have affected maritime shipping in the region. The association said it plans to compile the responses into an "industry-specific impact statement" that it plans to present at the FMC meeting.
The Department of Energy is setting new energy efficiency standards for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers and freezers that will require compliance in 2029 or 2030, depending on the product, it said in a direct final rule published Jan. 17.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Jan. 17 Federal Register on the following AD/CVD injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
The International Trade Commission seeks comments by Jan. 25 on a Section 337 complaint recently filed by Altronic that seeks a ban on imports of capacitive discharge ignition systems from Motortech that allegedly infringe on Altronic’s patents. Altronic says Motortech is making ignition systems for industrial internal combustion engines that copy its patented technologies. It seeks a limited exclusion order and cease and desist order banning such imports from the Germany-based Motortech and its affiliate Motortech Americas.
The International Trade Commission began a Section 337 investigation into allegations that Lenovo is importing electronic computing devices that infringe on Ericsson’s patents, the ITC said in a notice released Jan. 17. In a recently filed complaint (see 2312180060), Ericsson said Lenovo is importing laptop, desktop and chromebook computers and parts that include high efficiency video coding (HEVC or H.265) technology covered by several Ericsson patents. The ITC will consider whether to issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of infringing devices by the following companies:
The Commerce Department has released the final results of the countervailing duty administrative review on pasta from Italy (C-475-819). Rates set in these final results will be used for final assessments of CV duties on importers for subject merchandise entered in calendar year 2021.
The Commerce Department is amending the final results released in December of the antidumping duty administrative review on large diameter welded pipe from Canada (A-122-863). Based on comments received after publication of the final results on Dec. 13, Commerce determined that it made a ministerial error in a calculation, with the result being that there was no dumping of subject merchandise during the review period May 1, 2021, through April 30, 2022.