The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Dec. 19:

The International Trade Administration is seeking comment on its proposed information collection and interim procedures for considering requests under the Commercial Availability Provision of the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Dec. 19. Comments are due by Feb. 19 to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230,or to JJessup@doc.gov.

The Foreign Trade Zones Board scheduled outreach events in Washington, D.C., for Feb. 13, the day after a FTZ-related industry seminar in Washington. The outreach events will include: A general training session from 9 a.m. to noon on submission of the annual report, provisions of the 2012 regulations, plus enable Q & A/discussion. See below for RSVP information; and outreach session for officials of grantee organizations from 1-4 p.m. focusing on the grantee’s submission of the annual report, regulatory provisions that have a direct impact on the grantee role (including zone schedule requirements), and enable Q & A/discussion. Both events will be at the U.S. Department of Commerce building, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington. RSVPs are required for either event, via e-mail ftz@trade.gov or via Marsha Foust, 202-482-2862, by Feb. 8.

The International Trade Administration provided its notification of annual quantitative limit on certain apparel under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for Encouragement Act (HOPE), effective Dec. 20. It said that, for the one-year period beginning Dec. 20, the quantity of imports eligible for preferential treatment under the value-added program is 306,742,329 square meters equivalent, and apparel articles entered in excess of that will be subject to otherwise applicable tariffs.

The International Trade Administration is extending the deadline for applications to its International Buyer Program (IBP) until Dec. 21. Through the IBP, the ITA selects domestic trade shows that will receive ITA assistance in the form of global promotion in foreign markets, providing export counseling to exhibitors, and providing export counseling and matchmaking services at the trade show. The application deadline was originally Dec. 10.

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Dec. 13:

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Dec. 13:

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Dec. 12:

Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk will host Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan for the 23rd session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) Dec. 18-19 in Washington, D.C. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will also take part in the discussions to address agricultural trade concerns, the Commerce Department said.

Exports and imports both fell in October, but the drop in exports was steeper, causing a rise in the U.S. goods and services trade deficit to $42.2 billion, said the Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis in their U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Report for September 2012. The report showed that, as compared to revised September 2012 levels, exports were down $6.8 billion to $180.5 billion, and imports fell $4.9 billion to $222.8 billion. The largest component in the decline in both exports and imports was industrial supplies and materials. As compared to October 2011 totals, exports increased by 1 percent and imports by 0.8 percent. The U.S. trade deficit with China widened to $29.5 billion in October, from a revised $29.1 billion in September.