The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a notice and press release announcing that it has reached a provisional settlement agreement with Reebok International Ltd. in order to settle allegations that Reebok imported and distributed charm bracelets that contained toxic levels of lead in violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act1.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule, effective September 22, 2008, to amend 16 CFR Part 1610, the Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles (the Standard), to better reflect current consumer practices and technologies and to clarify several aspects of the Standard.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a proposed rule regarding flammability standards for residential upholstered furniture under the Flammable Fabrics Act. The proposed rule would add a new 16 CFR Part 1634 to establish performance requirements for upholstered furniture and certain certification and labeling requirements for manufacturers (and/or importers, see below and BP Note) of such furniture.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective March 31, 2008, amending its fruits and vegetables regulations under 7 CFR Part 319 by clarifying the distinction between plant parts that would be considered plant litter or debris and those that would not, for all imported fruits and vegetables.
The National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordination Council (NIPLECC) has issued a report to the President and Congress which, among other things, lays out a comprehensive strategy for NIPLECC agencies in fiscal year 2008, with a specific focus on the priorities of the Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) Initiative.
Alone among developed countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Canada hasn’t taken “meaningful steps” to comply with the WIPO Internet treaties, the International Intellectual Property Alliance said Monday. It appears to be the first time the group, which includes U.S. copyright heavy-hitters such as the RIAA, has called for a primarily English-speaking country to go on the U.S. Trade Representative’s Priority Watch List. It’s reserved for the worst IP offenders. IIPA identified problems with copyright protection, enforcement and market access in 51 countries. It asked the agency to add 43 of those to a watch list, in comments filed with the agency’s so-called Special 301 review.
On January 11, 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau released a report profiling U.S. export companies from 2005-2006.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Revenue Division Bond Team has posted its February 1, 2008 issue of Current Issues, which has been updated to provide an effective date for the rejection of CBP 301 (bond) forms or bond riders submitted with extraneous liability limitation language.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective February 19, 2008, which amends 9 CFR Parts 93, 94, and 95 to remove several unnecessary restrictions regarding the identification of animals and the processing of ruminant materials from regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, aka mad cow disease) into the U.S. (Currently only Canada qualifies.)
American Shipper reports that the Department of Commerce has undertaken an intensive review of a recent committee report that recommended significant changes to the regulations that help control access to certain U.S. technologies by foreign nationals, and it has already begun to implement some of the recommendations such as the formation of an Emerging Technologies Advisory Committee. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/23/08 news, 08012330, for BP summary of the advisory committee's recommendations.) (American Shipper, dated 01/28/08, http://www.compairdata.com/compairdatanews/080728_010.asp)