Ending most favored nation status for Chinese imports -- as advocated for by the House Select Committee on China and some other China hawks in Congress -- would increase consumer prices for laptops and smart phones by more than $100, and cause purchases of those goods to fall sharply, according to a recent study commissioned by the Consumer Technology Association.
Dependable Highway Express charged an importer detention and demurrage on behalf of Mediterranean Shipping Co. after the ocean carrier had waived the charge, importer ICL USA said in a complaint to the Federal Maritime Commission. DHE also assessed ICL a 10% surcharge on the fees, in violation of its contractual role as a trucker.
The Energy Department is proposing to amend energy efficiency standards for two categories of fans and blowers. The proposed rule would set more stringent standards for air circulating fans in terms of cubic feet per minute per watt, and also for fans and blowers that are not air circulating fans in terms of fan energy index. Any changes to current standards would apply five years after DOE publishes a final rule to amend them. Comments on the proposal are due March 19.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Jan. 18 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 Commerce Department published notices in the Federal Register Jan. 18 on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
Apple likely will stop selling watches that contain pulse oximeters, at least for now, after a Jan. 17 court order made clear that a stay on those watches’ Section 337 import ban would end the next day (Apple v. International Trade Commission, Fed. Cir. # 24-1285).
On Jan. 17, the FDA posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Jan. 18 updated guidance related to an expanded ban on imports of Russian seafood announced in December (see 2312220007). The update to OFAC’s frequently asked question adds several new tariff subheadings to the lists of tariff provisions for pollock and other seafood to which the ban may apply.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is amending an exclusion from Section 301 tariffs to align it with recent changes to the relevant Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading (see 2401020049). The change affects the exclusion under U.S Note 20(ttt)(iii)(27) to subchapter III of Chapter 99, which had covered goods of subheading 2929.90.5090 and now covers goods of subheading 2929.90.5095 for entries on or after Jan. 1.
The International Trade Commission will analyze the export competitiveness of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Pakistan and India, after a request from the U.S. trade representative. She asked the commission to track the apparel market shares of each of those countries in 2013, 2018 and 2023, and to describe the changing patterns in those market shares, including against other top suppliers of apparel.