Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

Shippers' NewsWire reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Bonner has stated that he presently has no intention of leaving his position, and that he looks forward to working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary-designate Michael Chertoff and to seeing through signature supply chain security programs he started after the September 11, 2001 attacks. (SNW, dated 01/14/05, www.americanshipper.com)

3. DHS Announces National Maritime Security Advisory Committee Members

The Coast Guard has issued a press release stating that DHS has announced the appointment of 20 individuals to serve on the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee, which provides advice on a national maritime security strategy and policy, international cooperation on security issues, etc. Members of the Committee include representatives from ports, carrier lines, etc. (Coast Guard press release, dated 01/06/05, available at https://www.piersystem.com/external/index.cfm?cid=786&fuseaction=EXTERNAL.docview&documentID=60061)

4. APHIS Corrects BSE Environmental Assessment, Extends Comment Period

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is making available a corrected version of an environmental assessment relative to its final rule on establishing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) minimal risk regions, etc. Comments on the corrected review will be accepted through February 17, 2005. (D/N 03-080-5, FR Pub 01/21/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-1202.pdf)

5. ITA Announces March 3, 2005 Norwegian Offshore Opportunities Forum

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice announcing that on March 3, 2005 in Houston, TX, a breakfast briefing will be held on energy opportunities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The ITA explains that the briefing will provide offshore exploration and production companies with an overview of the NCS' resource potential and framework conditions. Interested parties should RSVP by February 18, 2005. (FR Pub 01/12/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/E5-71.pdf)

6. ITA Seeks Comments on Questionnaire for U.S. Gov't Advocacy Assistance

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice requesting comments on the proposed extension of use of the advocacy questionnaire by the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee's (TPCC's) Advocacy Network. The form, ITA-4133P, is used to evaluate requests for U.S. Government advocacy in connection with overseas commercial bids, offers, and proposals. Comments must be submitted on or before March 22, 2005. (FR Pub 01/21/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/E5-197.pdf)

7. DEA Final Rule Exempts Certain Chemical Mixtures from Certain Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements on an Interim Basis

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a final rule to exempt from certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements both domestic and import transactions in mixtures containing the List II chemicals acetone, ethyl ether, 2-butanone, and toluene. Because the exemption was not discussed in a related proposed rule, it is being implemented, effective January 14, 2005, on an interim basis. (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/24/98 and 05/07/03 news, (Ref:98092342) and 03050799 4, for BP summaries of the related proposed rule and a final rule which implemented some of its proposals, respectively.) (D/N DEA-137F2, FR Pub 12/15/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-27449.pdf)

8. First Request for NAFTA Panel Review on Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Canada

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has announced that on December 27, 2004, the counsel for Sivaco Wire Group 2004 LLP and its division Sivaco Ontario, and Ivaco Rolling Mills 2004 L.P. filed a First Request for Panel Review with the U.S. section of the NAFTA Secretariat pursuant to article 1904 of the NAFTA. Panel review was requested on the ITA's final results of the antidumping (AD) duty administrative review of carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod from Canada. (Secretariat File No. USA-CDA-2004-1904-02, FR Pub 01/07/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-298.pdf)

9. U.S. Agencies To Assist Cotton Industries in West African Countries

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that a U.S. government delegation has pledged to assist the West African nations of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Senegal in addressing developmental aspects of their cotton industries. This effort builds on commitments to share agricultural technologies to improve African production systems and promote economic development in the region. See USDA's site(Release No. 0019.05, dated 01/14/05, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/1/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2005%2F01%2F0019.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_navtype=RT&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NEWS_RELEASE7_2_5JM)

______________________________________________________________________

10. BIS Civil Penalty, 20-Year Denial of Export Privileges for Yaudat Mustafa Talyi

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued an order assessing a civil penalty of $121,000 and denying the export privileges of Yaudat Mustafa Talyi a.k.a. Yaudat Mustafa a.k.a. Joseph Talyi of Louisiana for 20 years in connection with charges that Talyi exported oil field parts, ordered oil field parts, and participated in transactions in violation of previous denial orders by BIS and other regulations. (D/N 03-BIS-013, FR Pub 12/27/04, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-28186.pdf)

11. FMC Revokes OTI Licenses

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has announced that it has revoked the following ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses for the failure to maintain a valid bond, effective on the corresponding dates shown below:

(FMC notice, FR Pub 01/21/05, available at http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=58821525620300&WAISaction=retrieve)

12. Foreign-Trade Zones Board Actions

The Foreign-Trade Zones Board (FTZB) has issued the following notices of recent FTZB actions:

FTZ notices (FR Pub 01/19/05) available at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont04.html, scroll down to date and then FTZB)

13. Various Agencies Seek Comments on Information Collections

The following agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval (see notices for specific details):

OMB information collections and notices (FR Pub 01/14/05, available at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html)

14. Various Agencies Seek Comments on Information Collections

The following agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval (see notices for specific details):

FR Pub 01/12/05, available at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html