Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has posted to its Web site a reminder on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) final rule regarding the registration of food facilities as required by the Bioterrorism Act of 2002. TTB is reminding members of the alcohol industry that: (1) businesses that manufacture, process, pack, or hold alcohol beverages must register with the FDA, (2) alcohol beverage importers must give prior notice of import to the FDA, and (3) industry members must keep certain records. (TTB reminder available at www.ttb.treas.gov)
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1. TTB Reminds Alcohol Industry About FDA Bioterrorism Act Requirements
2. New Listing of Port of Chicago Telephone Numbers and HTS Assignments
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Port of Chicago has issued a Pipeline which contains a new listing of Port of Chicago telephone numbers and Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) number assignments. This pipeline supersedes all previously issued notices with conflicting information. This Port of Chicago Pipeline is available via fax only by emailing documents@brokerpower.com. (Pipeline 05-16, dated 09/26/05)
3. ITA Final Rule Amends Waiver Provisions for Sunset Reviews
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a final rule, effective October 31, 2004, which amends its existing regulations on sunset reviews in order to conform to the U.S.' obligations under certain provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT). The ITA explains that the amendments concern the "wavier" provisions which govern treatment of interested parties who do not provide a substantive response to the ITA's notice of initiation of a sunset review and clarify the basis for parties' participation in a public hearing in an expedited sunset review. (D/N 050803215-5260-02, FR Pub 10/28/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-21468.pdf)
4. FDA Posts Various Documents to its Web site
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted the following documents to its Web site:
Sample warning letter for unsubstantiated drug claims. The FDA has posted a sample warning letter for products making unsubstantiated drug claims. (dated 10/17/05, available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/dms/warnltr.html)
FDA warns companies to stop marketing fruit products with unproven disease claims. The FDA has issued a news release announcing that it has issued warning letters to 29 companies that manufacture, market, or distribute products made from cherries and other fruits. The warning letters told the firms to stop making unproven claims on the firms' web sites and product labels that their fruit products treat or prevent disease. (FDA news release P05-74, dated 10/24/05, available at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2005/new01246.html, list of firms receiving warning letters, dated 10/17/05, available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/dms/chrylist.html)
5. EPA Announces Moller-Maersk Sentenced for Falsifying Oil Record Book
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a news release announcing that on September 26, 2005, A.P. Moller-Maersk, A/S of Denmark pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a $500,000 fine in connection with falsifying the oil record book of one of its ships. Among other things, the company was also ordered to develop and implement a fleet-wide environmental compliance program. (EPA news release, dated 10/13/05, available at http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d9bf8d9315e942578525701c005e573c/2c04064805c363218525709900489e81!OpenDocument)
6. EPA Issues Proposed Rule on 2006 Critical Use Exemptions for Methyl Bromide
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a proposed rule which would provide an exemption to the phaseout of methyl bromide production and import for 2006 critical uses. Specifically, the EPA is proposing uses that will qualify for the 2006 critical use exemption, and the amount of methyl bromide that may be produced, imported, or made availablefrom stocks for those uses in 2006. Written comments are due November 28, 2005, see proposed rule for additional information on requesting a hearing and comment deadlines, etc. (FR Pub 10/27/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-21526.pdf)
7. Federal Register Notice on Exemption of Ski/Snowboard Pants
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has published in the Federal Register its notice exempting certain ski and snowboard pants from the China safeguard quota on category 647/648 goods. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/31/05 and 11/02/05 news 05103115 and 05110220 3 for previous BP summaries.(CITA, FR Pub 11/01/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-21689.pdf )
8. CBP Extends Import Restrictions on Nicaragua Archaeological Material
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a final rule, effective October 20, 2005, to reflect the extension of the import restrictions on certain categories of archaeological material from the Pre-Hispanic cultures of the Republic of Nicaragua. (CBP Dec. 05-33, FR Pub 10/20/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-21049.pdf )