On February 23, 2011, U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) Executive Vice President Mark Elliot testified before the Special 301 Committee on the U.S. Trade Representative's Special 301 Report identifying countries that have inadequate protection of intellectual property rights (IPR). Elliot stated that while the Special 301 Report is valuable, the GIPC believes there are ways the process could be improved and urges Congress to enact legislation that will enhance the tools available to the administration to engage more effectively with countries that fail to respect and enforce the rights of U.S. innovators and live up to their international intellectual property obligations.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has determined to waive certain discriminatory purchasing requirements with respect to goods and services covered by Chapter 17 of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), which will enter into force on March 15, 2012.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective May 1, 2012, to allow for the resumption of wooden handicrafts imports from China, provided that they are treated, documented, and their shipping packages are labeled with a merchandise tag containing the identity of the product manufacturer, and other conditions.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule that effective August 29, 2012 amends 16 CFR Part 1224 to reference a revised mandatory consumer product safety standard for portable bed rails that are installed on the side of an adult bed and/or on the mattress surface to keep children from falling out of bed. The revised mandatory standard is ASTM F 2085-12, “Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Portable Bed Rails,” which was developed jointly by CPSC and ASTM. The CPSC's predecessor standard was ASTM F2085-10a.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule that effective April 30, 2012 amends the CPSC's mandatory standard for all-terrain vehicles to reference the 2010 "ANSI Standard for Four-Wheel All-Terrain Vehicles Equipment Configuration and Performance Requirements" (ANSI/SVIA 1-2010), which covers both the adult and youth versions of ATVs. The prior standard referenced was the 2007 ANSI/SVIA version.

At the February 21, 2012 COAC meeting, members approved an updated set of draft instructions for the new version of the CBP Form 301 (Customs Bond) that took effect on January 1, 2012. According to COAC, there are concerns with the new bond form, and CBP thought the quickest way to address many of the concerns was to update the instructions to include proper procedures of usage.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a final rule, effective February 27, 2012, amending its export and import regulations (10 CFR Part 110) by removing Oman from the list of restricted destinations. This action was recommended by the Executive Branch in light of current foreign policy and nonproliferation-related actions taken and policies pursued by the Government of Oman. This means that exports of certain nuclear and byproduct materials to Oman may qualify for the NRC general license. At present, Oman has no nuclear research or power program; however, it does have the need for radioactive sources for legitimate industrial, medical, and research purposes in support of economic development projects. NRC states that exports of radioactive sources from the U.S. for such purposes would be facilitated by removal of Oman from the restricted destinations list.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a proposed rule to amend 19 CFR to transform the in-bond process from a paper dependent entry process to an automated paperless process in ACE. It would also require additional information to be reported on the in-bond application, establish a 30-day transit time for all modes except pipelines, and require electronic permission from CBP for in-bond cargo diversion, among other changes. Comments on the proposed rule are due by April 23, 2012.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a proposed rule to amend 19 CFR to transform the in-bond process from a paper dependent entry process to an automated paperless process in ACE. It would also require additional information to be reported on the in-bond application, establish a 30-day transit time for all modes except pipelines, and require electronic permission from CBP for in-bond cargo diversion, among other changes. Comments on the proposed rule are due by April 23, 2012.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a proposed rule to amend 19 CFR to transform the in-bond process from a paper dependent entry process to an automated paperless process in ACE. It would also require additional information to be reported on the in-bond application, establish a 30-day transit time for all modes except pipelines, and require electronic permission from CBP for in-bond cargo diversion, among other changes. Comments on the proposed rule are due by April 23, 2012.