The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a final rule, effective October 13, 2004, that makes certain changes and clarifications to a January 2000 interim final rule that allows the entry of yellowfin tuna and tuna products (tuna) into the U.S. under certain conditions from nations fully complying with the International Dolphin Conservation Program (IDCP) and the Agreement on the IDCP.
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.
On September 21, 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Bonner addressed the first Customs World Summit for World Customs Leaders in London on a strategy to increase security and facilitation of global trade.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at JFK Airport in New York has issued an informational pipeline announcing new phone numbers, effective September 13, 2004, for the Entry Branch at JFK Airport/Building 77.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a final rule which increases certain fee amounts in 49 CFR Part 594 relating to the registered importer (RI) program and the importation of motor vehicles not certified as conforming to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS).
In the September 29, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 40), CBP issued notices: (a) proposing to modify a classification ruling on a feather "duster" tickler, and (b) revoking a classification ruling on certain laser units for barcode scanners. CBP states that it is also revoking, or proposing to revoke, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
According to Reuters, on September 27, 2004, the World Trade Organization (WTO) launched a probe into a complaint by the European Union (EU) that the U.S. had failed to drop illegal import duties on certain EU steel products from Britain, France and Spain. The article states that the panel request followed consultations where the EU stated that the U.S. had not removed all safeguard duties, while the U.S. stated that they had been adjusted after the WTO ruled them illegal two years ago. (Reuters dated 09/27/04, available at http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=6344486 )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that the Customs Electronic Bulletin Board (CEBB) is being systematically migrated into CBP's Web site (www.cbp.gov), and that the CEBB URL will become invalid in the near future.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a final rule, effective September 23, 2004, in order to revise certain reporting and recordkeeping requirements contained in the Rough Diamonds Control Regulations (RDCR, 31 CFR Part 592).
In the September 15, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 38), CBP issued notices (a) detailing the dates and draft agenda for the 34th Session of the Harmonized System Committee (HSC), and (b) withdrawing a proposed modification of a classification ruling on the Fetch ToteTM dog toy.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has stated in an earlier message that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Acceleration Act of 2004 (Public Law (P.L.) 108-274, AGOA III) provides for retroactive AGOA II (The Trade Act of 2002) and retroactive AGOA III benefits for eligible textiles and apparel that were imported directly from an AGOA beneficiary country and entered on or after October 1, 2000 and before July 13, 2004.