The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has announced that it is modifying the list of European Union products and countries subject to 100% duties in connection with the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement rulings in the EU beef hormone dispute. It is also raising the duty rate of one product to 300%.

On January 14, 2009, the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman and Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman introduced H.R. 496, the "Trade Enforcement Act of 2009."

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice announcing its plan to launch a voluntary Secure Supply Chain (SSC) pilot program that would help promote the safety of finished drug products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) intended for human use that are manufactured outside the U.S.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a proposed rule that would add a new 16 CFR 1500.91 in order to make determinations that certain natural, untreated and unadulterated materials and certain metals do not exceed the lead content limits for children's products¹ that are mandated by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA²).

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a press release announcing that the Departments of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Transportation, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have issued a draft product safety guidance for industry titled "Good Importer Practices."

The National Marine Fisheries Service received a petition¹ requesting that the Secretary of the Treasury ban imports of swordfish from any and all countries that have not satisfied Section 101(a)(2) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule, effective December 19, 2008, which exempts the Boston Billow Nursing Pillow and substantially similar nursing pillows from CPSC's ban of "baby bean bag" infant cushions/pillows under 16 CFR 1500.18(a)(16)(i)¹.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced a recent update and clarification on APHIS' policy and procedures concerning transit permits for plant materials (plants and plant products).

The International Trade Administration has issued a proposed rule to amend 15 CFR Part 301 on the duty-free entry of scientific instruments and apparatus into the U.S. by educational and nonprofit institutions.

The Food and Drug Administration has revised its draft guidances on (1) the labeling of dietary supplements and (2) the labeling of non-prescription human drug products marketed without an approved application.