The Consumer Product Safety Commission has updated its list of meetings between CPSC and industry stakeholders that are open to the public, unless otherwise stated (partial list):
The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain digital imaging devices and related software, pursuant to a complaint (Inv. No. 337-TA-717).
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a proposed rule to amend certain test protocols and standards, etc. to enhance the integrity of inner packagings or receptacles of combination packagings containing liquid hazardous material by ensuring they remain intact in air transportation. Comments are due by July 13, 2010. (D/N PHMSA-07-29364(HM-231A), FR Pub 05/14/10, available at http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-11384_PI.pdf)
U.S. Trade Representative Kirk recently presided at a ceremony on Capitol Hill today heralding the 10th Anniversary of the enactment of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference program. Ambassador Kirk was joined by several past and present Members of Congress who played key roles in the drafting, passage and implementation of AGOA. (Notice, posted 05/12/10, available at http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/blog/2010/may/united-states-trade-representative-ron-kirk-celebrates-10th-anni)
The Department of Energy has issued a final rule, effective June 1, 2010, which implements the Compliance and Certification Management System, which will be the preferred mechanism for submitting compliance and certification reports; allows compliance and certification reports to be submitted via email; etc. (D/N EERE-2010-BT-CRT-0017, FR Pub 05/14/10, available at http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-11584_PI.pdf)
The Census Bureau has announced that the U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $40.4 billion in March from $39.4 billion (revised) in February, as imports increased more than exports.(Notice, posted 05/12/10, available at http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/data/
The International Trade Commission has launched an investigation to assess the U.S. export and import effects of three free trade agreements, entitled Selected Sectoral Effects of the U.S. FTAs with Chile, Singapore, and Australia, as requested by the U.S. Trade Representative.
The DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that the Freight Transportation Services Index rose 0.9 percent in March from its February level, rising for the third consecutive month. The March Freight TSI rose 2.6 percent from March 2009, the first year-to-year increase in the freight index since July 2008. (Press release, dated 05/12/10, available at http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2010/bts022_10/html/bts022_10.html)
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted the statements of Chairman Tenenbaum and Commissioners Nord and Northup on the recently approved "15 Month" proposed rule on testing and labeling for product certification. Though the rule was unanimously approved, Tenenbaum and Northup's statements are more supportive than Nord's. (Comments, posted 05/12/10, available at http://www.cpsc.gov/pr/statements.html)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a proposed rule to, among other things, provide for the importation of Hass avocados from Mexico into Puerto Rico under the same current systems for U.S. import from Michoacán, Mexico, which include orchard certification, trace back labeling, port-of-arrival inspection, etc. Comments are due by July 13, 2010. (D/N APHIS-2008-0060, FR Pub 05/14/10, available at http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-11598_PI.pdf)