Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Journal of Commerce Online reports that in a draft report to be released next month, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Clark Kent Ervin, who left his job in early December 2004, criticizes DHS for allowing federal grants for improving security at U.S. ports to be spent on low-priority problems rather than the most serous vulnerabilities. (JoC Online, dated 12/29/04, www.joc.com)
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1. DHS Inspector General Criticizes How Port Security Grants Are Spent
2. 51 Developing Countries Support Petitions to Limit U.S. Imports of Chinese Textiles and Apparel
According to the Washington File, producers from 51 developing countries have backed petitions filed by the U.S. textiles industry to limit U.S. imports of Chinese textiles and apparel in nine categories, including socks, cotton and synthetic trousers, wool trousers, cotton and synthetic knit shirts, and underwear. (Washington File Pub 12/29/04, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=December&x=20041229134329SAikceinawz0.5506861&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html)
3. USDA Final Rule to Allow Certain Cattle Importations from Canada
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a final rule, to be published in the January 4, 2005 Federal Register and effective March 7, 2005, which establishes conditions under which it will allow imports of live cattle under 30 months of age and certain other commodities from regions with effective bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prevention and detection measures. According to USDA's press release, Canada will be the first country recognized as a minimal-risk region. (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/06/03 and 11/07/03 news, 03110615 and 03110725, for Parts I & II of BP's summary of the proposed rule on a BSE-minimal risk category.) (USDA Press Release No. 0525.04, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2004/12/0525.xml)
4. TPSC Initiates Environmental Review of U.S.-Oman FTA Negotiations
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice announcing that, through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), it is initiating an environmental review of the proposed U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The TPSC is requesting public comments by February 25, 2005 on what should be included in the scope of the environmental review, etc. (FR Pub 12/22/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-28022.pdf)
5. Chicago CBP Issues Pipelines on Consolidated Entries, Annual Permit and User Fee
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the port of Chicago has issued the following pipelines:
Consolidated Entries (Pipeline 04-31, dated 11/15/04)
Annual permit/user fee (Pipeline 04-32, dated 11/15/04)
Pipelines availablefromBP by emailing documents@brokerpower.com.
6. BIS Materials Technical Advisory Committee to Meet
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a notice announcing that its Materials Technical Advisory Committee will hold a open meeting on January 27, 2005. According to BIS, the agenda for this meeting includes, among other things, a review of Chemical Weapons Convention Schedules. (FR Pub 12/23/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-28103.pdf)
7. State Dept Telecommunications Advisory Committee to Meet
The State Department has issued a notice announcing a number of meetings of the International Telecommunication Advisory Committee (ITAC), to prepare for the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group Meeting and ITU-T Study Groups 3, 4, and 17 Meetings. See notice for specific meeting dates, etc. (State P/N 4900, FR Pub 12/20/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-27806.pdf)