Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources, the first 2009 meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC) will be held on May 6, 2009 in Washington, DC. A Federal Register notice announcing the meeting is expected soon.
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Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
1. First COAC Meeting of Year to be Held on May 6th in Washington, DC
2. Port of Long Beach Votes to Eliminate Clean Trucks Fee for Privately Funded Diesel and LNG-Fuel Trucks
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has given preliminary approval to a proposal that would eliminate Clean Trucks Program cargo fees on some trucks starting May 4, 2009, in response to the goods movement industry's demand for privately financed big-rigs. It also would drop the fee for those who buy Port-subsidized trucks that run on liquefied natural gas. This proposal is scheduled to come back before the Commission for final consideration on April 6, 2009. (News release available at http://www.polb.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=532&TargetID=24)
3. NJ/NY Ports Report Flat Container Growth in 2008
The Port Authority for New York and New Jersey reports that due to the current global economic downturn, cargo volumes at the Port of New York and New Jersey reported flat growth in container activity for the first time since 1993. (Press release, dared 03/20/09, available at http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/PressCenter/PressReleases/PressRelease/index.php?id=1212)
4. BIS Renews for 180 Days Denial of Export Privileges for Balli Group, Etc.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is renewing for 180 days the order temporarily denying the export privileges of the following respondents (see notice for the addresses of these entities): Balli Group PLC; Balli Aviation; Balli Holdings; Vahid Alaghband; Hassan Alaghband; Blue Sky One Ltd.; Blue Sky Two Ltd.; Blue Sky Three Ltd.; Blue Airways; Mahan Airways; and Blue Airways FZE. (BIS notice, FR Pub 03/25/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-6607.pdf)
5. Irish Trading Company Charged with Violating IEEPA, Iran Restrictions, Etc.
The Justice Department announced that an Irish trading company and three of its officers have been charged with purchasing helicopter engines and other aircraft components from U.S. firms and illegally exporting them to Iran using companies in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. The indictment charges each of the defendants with two counts of conspiracy, 19 counts of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Iranian Transactions Regulations, four counts of false statements, and forfeiture allegations. (Justice department press release, dated 03/24/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/March/09-nsd-264.html)
6. 2008 Commercial Guide on Doing Business in Peru
Export.Gov has posted in its "What's New" Section an April 2008 State Department Guide on doing business in Peru. (Guide, dated 04/21/08, available at http://www.buyusainfo.net/docs/x_8403089.pdf)
7. EPA Announces Public Hearings on Upcoming Proposed Rule on Greenhouse Gas Reporting
The EPA is announcing two public hearings to be held on the proposed rule ''Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases,'' which will be published soon in the Federal Register. One hearing will be held in Arlington, Virginia on April 6 and 7, 2009. The other hearing will be held in Sacramento, California, on April 16, 2009. The proposed rule would require reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the economy. (EPA notice, FR Pub 03/25/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-6602.pdf)
8. State Dept Shipping Coordinating Committee to Hold Open Meeting
The State Department is announcing that its Shipping Coordinating Committee will conduct an open meeting on April 13, 2009, in Washington, DC. The primary purpose of the meeting is to prepare for the seventeenth session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI 17) to be held at the IMO's London headquarters from April 20 to 24, 2009. (State department notice, FR Pub 03/25/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-6717.pdf)
9. WTO Goods Council Agrees on Waivers for U.S. Trade Preference Programs, 2009 Chairs
On March 24, 2009, the WTO Council for Trade in Goods approved long-standing waiver requests from the U.S. on the following trade preference programs: the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), and the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA). The U.S. said these programs served an important development purpose, and that it was committed to get WTO approval for them. The Goods Council agreed to forward the draft waiver approvals to the General Council, and recommend their adoption. The Council also agreed to a slate of chairpersons of its subsidiary bodies for 2009. (WTO news release, dated 03/24/09, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/good_24mar09_e.htm)
10. WTO Issues Trade Policy Review of Fiji
The World Trade Organization has issued its Trade Policy Review for Fiji. According to the WTO, since its last review, Fiji has undertaken some trade-related reforms and has liberalized and rationalized its foreign investment regime, reforms that are seen as integral to Fiji's economic priorities of a developing, efficient and competitive open economy to promote export-led growth. (WTO press release, dated 03/27/09, available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp313_e.htm)
11. Revised FDA Import Alerts
The Food and Drug Administration has posted revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
Food Products Due to the Presence of Melamine and/or Melamine Analogs
Processed Seafood and Analogue Seafood (Surimi) Products for L. Monocytogenes
Cosmetics Containing Illegal and/or Undeclared Colors
Coconut Due to the Presence of Microbiological Contamination
Ceramicware Due to Excessive Lead and/or Cadmium
Seafood Products Due to the Presence of Salmonella
Manufacturers of Low Acid Canned Foods and Acidified Foods
and Guidance of Foods Containing Illegal and/or Undeclared Colors