Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The U.S. Association of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) has reported that the Chinese government and two Chinese producers of coated free sheet paper filed suit in the Court of International Trade (CIT) on January 9, 2007 challenging the Department of Commerce (DOC) initiation of a countervailing (CV) duty investigation against these Chinese imports. USA-ITA states that the complaint charges that DOC does not have legal authority to initiate a CV case against China because it is currently considered a non-market economy. (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/19/06 news, 06121925, for BP summary of the ITA's request for comments on applying CV duties to imports from China.) (USA-ITA TDM, dated 01/10/07, www.usaita.com.)
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1. Chinese Producers, Government File Suit Against CV Duty Investigation
2. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Intermodal Cargo Case
Shippers' NewsWire reports that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of a case involving what law should apply when cargo is damaged or stolen in intermodal moves. According to the article, the question presented by the case involves a significant issue in the transportation of goods using different modes of transport, which encompasses more that $1 trillion each year in U.S. trade. (American Shipper Pub 01/10/07, www.americanshipper.com)
3. World May Have 400 Preferential Trade Agreements by 2010
According to a World Trade Organization (WTO) press release, Director-General Pascal Lamy announced, in a recent speech, that the world faces the prospect of 400 preferential trade agreements by 2010 and the challenge of ensuring they contribute to the health of world trade. The article adds that these preferential agreements contradict the nondiscrimination principle which is one of the cornerstones of the WTO. (WTO press release, dated 01/17/07, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/sppl_e/sppl53_e.htm)
4. With Vietnam's Accession, WTO Has 150 Members
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has issued a press release announcing Vietnam's accession to the WTO on January 11, 2007, adding that with Vietnam's accession, there are now 150 WTO members. (WTO press release on Vietnam's January 11, 2007 accession, dated 01/11/07, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news07_e/acc_vietnam_11jan07_e.htm) (WTO member list (including Vietnam), dated 01/11/07, available at http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/members_brief_e.doc)