The Automated Export System will add 13 new Export Control Classification Numbers to its reference table to allow exporters to report electronic export information in the wake of the transfer of export controls over firearms from the State Department to the Commerce Department (see 2001170030 and 2003090029), the Census Bureau said in a notice emailed March 11. The notice contains instructions for determining which new ECCNs are eligible for certain license types. Census also clarified that by using any of the license exceptions or “No License Required,” exporters “are certifying that the terms, provisions, and conditions described in the [Export Administration Regulations] have been met.”

CBP won't hold the 2020 Trade Symposium March 10-11, the agency said on March 4. “Given the number of cancellations received by trade partners and attendees and the more than two-dozen company travel restrictions that would impact the number of those able to participate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has made the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 Trade Symposium,” it said on its website. “The intent of the symposium is to educate and update the attendees on CBP’s trade priorities. We believe that postponing the event to maximize attendance is the most beneficial course of action at this time.” CBP plans to process registration fee refunds shortly, it said.

CBP designated the Port of Ysleta, in El Paso, Texas, as port code 2401, the agency said in a Feb. 25 CSMS message. Starting on March 1, “all E-manifests making arrival into the U.S. via the Port of Ysleta are required to use port code 2401,” it said. But “Entry and Entry Summary transmissions will continue to utilize the port code 2402 (El Paso), as 2402 will be the Port of Entry for 2401,” it said. “For cargo arriving at Ysleta (2401) from Mexico and moving onward, the in-bond origination port will be 2401.”

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new reporting requirements for six chemicals under significant new use rules. The proposed SNURs would require notification to EPA at least 90 days in advance of a new use by importers, manufacturers or processors. Importers of chemicals subject to these proposed SNURs would need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements should these proposed rules be finalized, EPA said. Exporters of these chemicals would become subject to export notification requirements. Comments on the proposed SNURs are due March 25.

The Automated Export System has been updated to accept changes in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule from Presidential Proclamation 9980, which was published Jan. 29 and took effect Feb. 8, the Census Bureau said in an emailed alert. “AES will accept shipments with outdated codes during a grace period for 30 days beyond the expiration date. Reporting an outdated code after the 30-day grace period will result in a fatal error,” Census said. “The ACE AESDirect program has been updated and will accept shipments with outdated codes during the grace period.” The current list of HTS codes not valid for AES is available on the Census website, the agency said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is extending for one more year the temporary listing of cyclopentyl fentanyl, isobutyryl fentanyl, pharmacologist fentanyl, portamento fentanyl, and valeryl fentanyl in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said. The synthetic opioids, first temporarily listed in 2018 (see 1801310009), will now remain listed in schedule I until Feb. 2, 2021. DEA also issued a proposed rule to permanently list these synthetic opioids in schedule I, with comments due March 2. Substances may only be temporarily listed under the CSA for three years.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is lowering its fees for rice inspection services, it said in a notice. The final rule decreases fees across the board by 20 percent for fiscal year 2020, and by another 20 percent for FY21. Export port services will fall to $0.059 per hundredweight in the first year, and to $0.047 in the second, which begins Oct. 1, 2020. The new fees are applicable as of Jan. 1, 2020.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is removing the opioid antagonist 6-beta-naltrexol from schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a final rule. Effective Jan. 24, DEA is removing “regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to controlled substances, including those specific to schedule II controlled substances, on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, dispense, conduct research, import, export, or conduct chemical analysis) or propose to handle” 6-beta-naltrexol, it said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration placed the neurosteroid brexanolone into Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act, it said. The final rule confirms an interim regulation issued in June that subjected brexanolone to new registration, labeling, recordkeeping, and import and export requirements.

The Drug Enforcement Administration permanently placed the synthetic cannabinoids 5F-ADB, 5F-AMB, 5FAPINACA, ADB-FUBINACA, MDMB-CHMICA and MDMB-FUBINACA into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, in a final rule. The substances had already been temporarily listed in Schedule I since 2017 (see 1904050027). The final order takes effect Jan. 24.