The International Trade Commission (ITC) has posted to its Web site its preliminary report for its investigation (No. 1205-6) on proposed modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), which are scheduled to become effective in January 2007.
CBP CROSS Rulings
CBP issues binding advance rulings in connection with the importation of merchandise into the United States. They issue the rulings to give the trade community transparency of how CBP will treat a prospective import or carrier transaction. Common rulings include the tariff classification, country of origin, or free trade agreement applicability of merchandise, among other things. These rulings are available in CBP's Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) database.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release stating that beginning May 1, 2005, drivers transporting shipments using the Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity (BRASS) release system may do so only if they have been issued a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) driver identification card.
The Journal of Commerce reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has unveiled Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Plus, which will provide participants with a "green lane" (i.e., no inspections upon arrival and immediate release of cargo). However, the article notes that even if importers obtain immediate release from CBP, other government agencies, including the FDA and USDA, can hold up cargo for hours, days, weeks, or months with little evidence of a violation. (JoC, dated 04/11/05, www.joc.com)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a final rule, effective May 12, 2005, that amends 50 CFR Parts 216 and 300 in order to implement certain resolutions adopted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and by the Parties to the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program (IDCP).
The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has issued a final rule, effective May 11, 2005, which amends the regulations in 50 CFR Parts 13 and 21 by revising the schedule of fees for permit/license (permit) applications submitted to FWS' Divisions of Migratory Bird Management, Endangered Species, Law Enforcement, and Management Authority.
In the April 13, 2005 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 39, No. 16), CBP issued a notice withdrawing a proposed modification of a classification ruling on silymarin (milk thistle) and leucoanthocyanin.
CBP has issued messages on a number of antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty actions, many of which (marked by an * in the action column) were previously published in the Federal Register by the International Trade Administration (ITA) and summarized in International Trade Today.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Mexico's maquiladora industry, considered an indicator of U.S. manufacturing strength, witnessed significant hiring turnaround in 2004, as employment increased for the first time since 2000. (WSJ dated 03/22/05, www.wsj.com.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued its weekly quota commodity report as of April 18, 2005. This report includes tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on various products such as beef, tuna, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa powder, tobacco, certain JFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, UAFTA and UCFTA TRQs, etc. This report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, CBTPA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA tariff preference levels (TPLs) for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc. (CBP's weekly quota commodity report, dated 04/18/05, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)
The Washington File reports that Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance William Lash has stated that stronger punishments and more vigorous enforcement are necessary to stem a growing epidemic of infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR) in China. According to Lash, the U.S. has damages of $20 to 24 billion a year from piracy in China, with the situation getting worse. (Washington File Pub 04/14/05, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/Archive/2005/Apr/14-581627.html)