U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced the following Air Automated Manifest System (AMS) expansions:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) lists on its Web site its top intellectual property rights (IPR) seizures by top trading partner and commodity for fiscal year (FY) 1999 through FY 2003.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued three orders in response to petitions filed with the FMC by three Chinese carriers requesting to be exempt from certain provisions of Section 9(c) of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 USC app. 1708) (Controlled Carrier Act), which would enable the petitioners to reduce tariff rates immediately, rather than be subject to the 30-day waiting period prescribed by the Controlled Carrier Act.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice announcing its determination that Sierra Leone (1) has adopted an effective visa system and related procedures to prevent unlawful transshipment and the use of counterfeit documents in connection with shipments of textile and apparel articles, and (2) has implemented and follows, or is making substantial progress toward implementing and following, the customs procedures required by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This determination is effective April 5, 2004.
The Journal of Commerce reports that non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs) have much to gain and lose in the outcome of Norfolk Southern Railway vs. Kirby which will be heard by the Supreme Court this fall. On the one hand, NVOCCs could win affirmation of their status as ocean carriers, not agents of shippers. On the other, the court's decision could open the door for shippers who have tendered cargo to an NVOCC to only be bound by the terms of the NVOCC's bill of lading, and therefore be free to collect full damages from any party in the supply chain. (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/29/04 news, (Ref:04032999 for earlier summary.)(JoC, dated March 22-28, 2004, www.joc.com )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that the interest rates for the third quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2004 (April 1, 2004 - June 30, 2004) for overpayments and underpayments of Customs duties are:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site updated lists of Automated Manifest System (AMS) sea and air participants and their associated ports (if applicable), as well as non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) Sea AMS participants.
In the March 31, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 14), CBP issued notices (a) detailing the dates and draft agenda for the 33rd Session of the Harmonized System Committee, and (b) revoking two classification rulings on blackout drapery fabrics. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in the revocation notice.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has posted to its Web site the draft text of the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is dated March 31, 2004.
The State Department's Washington File reports that the Bush Administration is seeking from Congress a two-year delay of a requirement that "visa waiver countries" issue machine-readable passports that incorporate biometric identifiers. This delay would allow countries whose passport holders are not required to have a U.S. visa to enter the country to meet technical challenges of issuing passports containing biometric data, such as digital, inkles finger scans and digital photographs. (Washington File Pub, 04/02/04, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/usinfo/Archive/washfile_feature2.html)