Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. WTO Rules that U.S. Cotton Subsidies Violate Global Trade Rules

2. DHS Officials Tell New "COAC-Like" Coast Guard Security Committee that Ports Would Remain Open Under Most Post-Attack Plans

Shippers' NewsWire reports that at the Coast Guard's National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC) inaugural meeting on March 3, 2005, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials stated that the U.S. government does not intend to react to a domestic terrorist attack on a port or intermodal trade lane with a knee-jerk national quarantine of all ocean-borne commerce.

The article states that this assurance came in the form of a DHS proposal to coordinate the work of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC) and NMSAC on contingency plans, adding that NMSAC consists of 20 industry experts and is modeled on COAC. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/16/05 news, 05021699 6, for BP summary announcing NMSAC meeting.)(SNW dated 03/04/05, www.americanshipper.com.)

3. NIT League, JIG, TSN, COAC Form Committees on Supply Chain Security

The National Industrial Transportation (NIT) League has issued a press release announcing that it has created a new Select Committee on Security, in order to develop recommendations on current and new security programs/plans as well as to advance positions which will make U.S. domestic and international supply chains safer. Other organizations, such as the Joint Industry Group (JIG), the Trade Support Network (TSN), and the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC) have also created committees/subcommittees to address issues related to supply chain security. (NIT League press release, dated 02/03/05, available at http://www.nitl.org/press37.htm.)

4. While U.S. Exports to China Rise, Imports from China Rise Faster

The Washington File reports that when considering total trade of goods (imports and exports), China became the U.S.' third-largest trading partner in 2004 (behind only Canada and Mexico). With respect to imported goods, China became the second largest trading partner of the U.S., with 13.4% of the market. With respect to exported goods, China became the fifth largest trading partner of the U.S. (Washington File Pub 03/02/05, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=March&x=20050302104631ebyessedo0.9311182&t=xarchives/xarchitem.html)

5. Canada's New "Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations" Available

The Canadian government has published in the Canada Gazette its new Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations under which exporters must submit an export declaration prior to exportation according to legislated time frames. (P.C. 2005-46, CG Pub 02/23/05, available at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2005/20050223/html/sor23-e.html; CBSA notice, dated 02/28/05, available at http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/export/proposed-e.html)

6. Homeland Security Advisory Council to Meet

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice announcing that its Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) will hold a partially open meeting on March 22, 2005 in Charlotte, NC. This meeting is for the purposes of receiving reports and briefings from certain HSAC task forces and holding member deliberations. (FR Pub 03/07/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-4381.pdf)

7. Chicago CBP Pipelines on Centralized Exam Stations & CDC Inspections

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Port of Chicago has issued the following pipeline messages:

CBP solicits applications to operate a Centralized Examination Station in the Port of Chicago (Pipeline 05-04, dated 02/07/05), and

List of items for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will inspect both the airway bill and accompanying documentation to ascertain compliance with certain federal regulations (Pipeline 05-02, dated 01/31/05).