The Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to amend the regulations to allow the import of fresh blueberry fruit from Morocco into the U.S. As a condition of entry, the blueberries would have to be produced under a systems approach employing a combination of mitigation measures for two quarantine pests, Ceratitis capitata and Monilinia fructigena, and would have to be inspected prior to export from Morocco and found free of the pests.

The Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow the import of avocados from continental Spain (excluding the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands) into the U.S. The avocados will have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that includes registration of production locations and packing houses, pest monitoring, sanitary practices, chemical and biological controls, and phytosanitary treatment, it said.

CBP is requesting comments by Feb. 10 for an existing information collection on importation bond structure. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours.

The U.S. Trade Representative extended the Section 301 investigation of Ukraine for three months. USTR said in a notice to appear in Monday’s Federal Register (http://1.usa.gov/1b8K3cI) that the agency will make a determination by Feb. 28 on that country’s alleged intellectual property rights (IPR) violations. Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act lets the U.S. retaliate against unfair trade practices (http://1.usa.gov/199gPKW). USTR began the investigation in May, labeling Ukraine a priority foreign country. “This designation is the culmination of several years of growing concern over widespread IP theft, including the growing entrenchment” of IPR infringement “facilitated by government actors,” the USTR report said at the time (http://1.usa.gov/181GYy4). Ukraine has said it’s implementing an IPR “action plan” it developed in consultation with the U.S. (WID Feb 21 p3).

The U.S. Trade Representative extended the Section 301 investigation of Ukraine for three months. USTR said in a notice to appear in Monday’s Federal Register (http://1.usa.gov/1b8K3cI) that the agency will make a determination by Feb. 28 on that country’s alleged intellectual property rights (IPR) violations. Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act lets the U.S. retaliate against unfair trade practices (http://1.usa.gov/199gPKW). USTR began the investigation in May, labeling Ukraine a priority foreign country. “This designation is the culmination of several years of growing concern over widespread IP theft, including the growing entrenchment” of IPR infringement “facilitated by government actors,” the USTR report said at the time (http://1.usa.gov/181GYy4). Ukraine has said it’s implementing an IPR “action plan” it developed in consultation with the U.S.

CBP posted a set of the current guidelines, updated in September, and a sample set of documentation for completing CBP Form 301 for continuous bonds in the Office of Administration, Revenue Division. The Bond Team said it prefers that the submissions be via email because they are clearer, quicker and can receive an automatic response. But it said it will also accept them via fax.

The U.S. Trade Representative extended the Section 301 investigation of Ukraine for three months, pledging to make a determination by Feb. 28, 2014, on Ukrainian intellectual property rights (IPR) violations. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 permits the U.S. to retaliate against unfair trade practices (here). USTR launched the investigation in May, labeling Ukraine a priority foreign country. “This designation is the culmination of several years of growing concern over widespread IP theft, including the growing entrenchment of IPR infringement that is facilitated by government actors,” the USTR report said at the time (here). Further information: Elizabeth Kendall, 202-395-3580, Isabella Detwiler, 202-395-6146, or Shannon Nestor, 202-395-3150.

The office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is requesting written public comment on the Intellectual Property (IP) protections, enforcement and market access in El Salvador. The comments will influence the USTR decision on whether to place El Salvador on the Trade Act of 1974 Section 182 sanctioned “Priority Watch List,” which indicates IP violations exist in a particular country. Those interested should submit comments by 10 a.m. Dec. 13 via http://www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2013-0038 and include the term “2013 Special 301 Out-of- Cycle Review of El Salvador” in the “Type Comment” field. Those interested in obtaining further information should contact USTR official Michael Diehl at (202) 395-6126.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission acknowledges receipt of an application for a standard design certification of the APR1400 Standard Plant Design, submitted by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). Those interested in obtaining additional information, should contact Jeffrey Ciocco, with the NRC Office of New Reactors at (301) 415-6391 or Jeff.Ciocco@nrc.gov.

Nov. 4 Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board daylong public hearing, 9:15 a.m., Mayflower Hotel’s State Room -- http://bit.ly/1ad3LcO