The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule, effective June 4, 2004, which amends 7 CFR Part 319.37-8(e) in order to add orchids of the genus Phalaenopsis from Taiwan only to the list of plants that may be imported in an approved growing medium subject to specified growing, inspection, and certification requirements.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a proposed rule which would amend its nursery stock regulations at 7 CFR Part 319 to allow the importation of small lots of seed under an import permit with specific conditions, as an alternative to the current phytosanitary certificate requirement.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a proposed rule which would institute new requirements for persons who use sampling services and private laboratories in connection with imported food subject to an FDA enforcement action, such as refusal of imports, product seizure, or issuance of an injunction.
The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has released a statement on U.S. China trade relations which announces, among other things, that the administration has rejected a section 301 unfair trade practices petition filed by the AFL-CIO with regard to China's worker's rights policies. The USTR explains while there are serious concerns about labor rights and working conditions in China, the administration believes that trade and economic growth, among other things, will move China faster and further toward achieving results. (USTR Statement, dated 04/28/04, available at http://www.ustr.gov/releases/2004/04/2004-04-28-statement-china.pdf)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an interim rule, effective May 24, 2004, establishing a new certification program for foreign production sites in countries where Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (potato brown rot) is known to occur that wish to export articles of Pelargonium spp. (e.g. geraniums) and/or Solanum spp. (e.g. eggplant, huckleberry) to the U.S.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an updated Industry Guidance which lists, and provides a written description for, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers that are flagged in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) entry system with imported food prior notice FD3 or FD4 indicators.
BellSouth said its first-quarter profit jumped 30% to $1.6 billion, but total operating revenue slid 0.8% to $4.98 billion. The results include $449 million income from sale of the carrier’s interest in its 10 Latin American operations to Telefonica Moviles, which includes an $11 million gain from foreign currency and a one-time tax benefit of $424 million. The transaction is expected to close in the 2nd half of 2004. The results don’t include the company’s 40% share in Cingular Wireless. Including Cingular, BellSouth said its revenue rose 2% to $6.6 billion, and its normalized income from continuing operations was $888 million, compared to $924 million in the first quarter of 2003. BellSouth said growth in revenue from long distance and DSL offset access line declines, keeping its Communications Group revenue flat at $4.5 billion. It said its total access lines of 22.1 million at March 31 declined 3.6%, compared to a year earlier, while residence and business access lines served by its competitors under UNE-P increased by 301,000 in the first quarter. The company added 636,000 long distance customers during the first quarter, to a total of 4.6 million, and 35% penetration of its mass-market customers by quarter-end. It said the growth was driven by unlimited long distance plans and new flat rate calling plans. It also added 156,000 net DSL customers, ending the quarter with 1.6 million. Led by DSL, data revenue slightly grew to $1.1 billion from a year- ago quarter. Operating margin for the quarter was 25.6%, compared to 26.3% for the full year in 2003.
On March 4, 2004, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 1047, the "Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2003."
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a final rule, effective April 14, 2004, that adjusts for inflation the Customs Value or ex-factory price for certain disposable cigarette lighters to $2.25 (from $2.00).
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice announcing that it is reopening through May 14, 2004 the comment period for its interim final rule on the registration of foreign food facilities.