The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule revoking its April 2010 interpretation of the term “unblockable drain” as used in the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act).

On October 6, 2011, Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH) introduced the Trade Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 3112), which he states would utilize a Commerce Department complaint process to provide U.S. companies with a lower cost, less complex path to the USTR's initiation of a Section 301 investigation on market access barriers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comments on whether a mandatory performance safety standard or other requirement is needed to address an unreasonable risk of injury associated with table saws.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is seeking comments on a provisionally-accepted settlement agreement with Nordica USA which contains a civil penalty of $214,000 to settle charges that Nordica failed to immediately report defective ski binding plates.

U.S. Trade Representative Kirk states the U.S. has submitted information to the World Trade Organization identifying nearly 200 subsidy programs that it says China has failed to notify as required under WTO rules. Information was also submitted on 50 subsidy programs in India not previously notified.

The Food and Drug Administration is seeking comments on a report outlining eight draft proposals to make FDA’s compliance and enforcement data more accessible and user-friendly. They are part of FDA’s ongoing efforts to increase its transparency and part of its response to the President’s January 2011 Memorandum to federal agencies on making compliance information more publicly available and searchable online.¹ Comments are due by December 2, 2011.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a proposed rule to amend the phytosanitary treatment regulations to provide generic criteria to allow irradiation facilities to be located anywhere in the Southern States of the U.S., subject to approval, rather than only in the currently approved locations. Proposed requirements include arranging for treatment before departure from the port of entry or points of U.S. origin, requiring APHIS and the facility to agree to all parameters (such as how each consignment will move, the use of refrigeration, and monitoring activities within 4 square miles of a facility, etc.)

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice requesting written comments from the public concerning Paraguay’s implementation of the U.S.-Paraguay MOU on Intellectual Property Rights, and additional actions that Paraguay should take, if any, to improve the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Dune HD will launch a $3,000 reference level Dune HD Pro Blu-ray player with two 3.5-inch hard drive bays in the first half of 2012, U.S. General Manager Mark Donnigan said. The Pro player will be demonstrated at CES, he said.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is requesting comments by October 26, 2011, identifying potential Internet and physical markets outside the U.S. that have been the subject of enforcement action or that may merit further investigation for possible intellectual property infringements to be included in its 2011 Notorious Markets List.