China's Ministry of Commerce announced pledges by the Chinese government to push forward the transformation of the nation's economic development pattern in 2010 while maintaining stable and comparatively fast economic growth. Among other things, China said it would continue to enrich current policies to enhance domestic demand, including the subsidized rural purchase programs of home appliances and autos. (Notice, dated 12/07/09, available at http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/xw/t631846.htm)
"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.
At a meeting of the World Customs Organization Secretary General and CBP Acting Commissioner Ahern in late October, CBP officials confirmed the (full) entry into force on January 26, 2010 of the Importer Security Filing (10+2 data) requirements. The WCO Secretary General raised members' continued concerns about U.S. 100% scanning requirements by 2012, noting that the Globally Networked Customs concept could facilitate the risk management approach advocated by the WCO. (Report, posted 10/28/09, available at http://www.wcoomd.org/speeches/?v=1&lid=1&cid=2&id=176)
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, an arbitral tribunal has rejected Canada's claim that it cured its breach of the U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement when it offered to pay the U.S. government $36.66 million instead of imposing the compensatory measures worth approximately $54.8 million that the tribunal had directed Canada to impose in February 2009.
The Census Bureau has issued an Automated Export System broadcast announcing that effective August 3, 2009, AESDirect will deploy modifications to security measures and user authentication practices. All of these changes fall under the Department of Commerce's security guidelines and address the U.S. Census Bureau's IT Security Program Requirements. The upgrade to the AESDirect system will provide AESDirect users with the utmost in account security. (See broadcast for list of changes.) (AES Broadcast 2009027 available by emailing documents@brokerpower.com.)
Mexico's National Cargo Transportation Association (Canacar) announced on June 1, that it is suing the U.S. for $6 billion because of its refusal to allow Mexican haulers onto its roads as required under the North American Free Trade Agreement. About 4,500 Mexican trucking companies are involved in the lawsuit, according to Canacar. (Notice, available at http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=79026)
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a two-page progress report for the first 100 days since the Administration change, highlighting their successes in this time period as follows:
The Long Beach Harbor Commissioners are meeting on March 23, 2009 to consider revisions to the Clean Trucks Program. Changes proposed would expand exemptions to the Clean Truck Fee, recognizing the goods movement industry's demand for private financing of new clean trucks and encouraging use of liquefied natural gas-fueled (LNG) vehicles. (News release available at http://www.polb.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=532&TargetID=24)
The White House has posted remarks by the Vice President at the swearing-in of former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk as U.S. Trade Representative on March 20, 2009. In his remarks, the Vice President emphasized that the USTR's mission is to blaze a trail beyond our borders and come up with innovative ways for our trade policies to inspire a new environment of basic fairness. (Vice President's remarks, dated 03/20/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-Vice-President-Biden-at-the-Swearing-in-of-United-States-Representative-Ron-Kirk/.
On February 25, 2009, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1105, the fiscal year 20091 omnibus appropriations bill, which is intended to "wrap up work" on the remaining FY 2009 appropriations bills2.