The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has announced the opportunity to submit petitions (requests) for the 2005 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Product and Country Eligibility Practices Review (GSP Annual Review). All petitions to modify the list of articles eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program or to review the GSP status of any beneficiary developing country must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 15, 2005.
According to a columnist in the Washington Post's business section, the sugar lobby has come out against the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), in a bid to finally get sugar off the negotiating table once and for all, and preserve their tariffs and import quotas that cost Americans at least $1 billon a year in subsidies and artificially high sugar prices. (Washington Post, 05/11/05, www.washingtonpost.com )
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council has issued projected quota levels and embargo dates, should CITA impose safeguard quotas on China origin textiles and apparel in categories 340/640, 345/645/646, 349/649, 350/650, 620, 638/639 and 647/648, as petitioned (requested) by the U.S. textile industry. For example, for China 340/640, the projected safeguard quota level is estimated to be approximately 2,000,000 dozen, and once implemented (estimated to be June or July 2005), is estimated to embargo in approximately three months. (HKTDC Alert, dated 04/29/05, available at http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/us0508.htm )
On April 29, 2005, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the results of its 2005 "Special 301" annual report on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection.
On April 28, 2005 the Senate confirmed Robert J. Portman as U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). According to a USTR press release, Portman states that Congressional approval of the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, China trade issues, the enforcement of existing agreements, keeping on pace the Doha talks to lower trade barriers, and ongoing regional and bilateral trade negotiations are all front and center issues for him. (See ITT's Online Archives or 04/26/05 news, 05042615, for BP summary of Robert Portman's testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.)(USTR press release, dated 04/29/05, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2005/April/Statement_of_Robert_J._Portman,_United_States_Trade_Representative.html.)
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice stating that it has issued its Section 129 determination for six companies (and their listed affiliates, if any), as well as the 'All Others' rate, with respect to the antidumping (AD) duty investigation on certain softwood lumber products from Canada, in order to implement the recommendations of the WTO Appellate Body.
The United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) has issued a Textile Development Memo stating that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has lifted the preliminary injunction against further action on threat-based China safeguard petitions. As a result, USA-ITA states that CITA may resume its consideration of the 12 threat-based cases that were filed last year. (USA-ITA, TDM dated 04/27/05, www.usaita.com )
American Shipper reports that in a March 8, 2005 letter, the National Council on International Trade Development (NCITD) asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) Director of the Office of Trade Relations to invigorate CBP's export department and fill the vacant export program officer position at CBP Headquarters. (American Shipper, dated April 2005, www.americanshipper.com.)
On April 21, 2005, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Robert Portman to be the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The following are "highlights" of the Portman's written testimony that he states will guide his work if he is confirmed as USTR (partial list):
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has posted to its Web site its preliminary report for its investigation (No. 1205-6) on proposed modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), which are scheduled to become effective in January 2007.