The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing the 2004 in-quota ("low duty") tariff-rate quota (TRQ) quantity for tuna and skipjack (tuna) in airtight containers, not in oil, weighing with their contents not over 7 kilograms (kg) each, that is not the product of any U.S. insular possession, as described in HTS 1604.14.22 (6% duty).

The International Trade Administration (ITA) frequently issues notices on antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty orders which Broker Power considers to be "minor" in importance as they concern actions that occur after an order is issued and neither announce nor cause any changes to an order's duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective period.

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated antidumping (AD) duty investigations of certain circular welded carbon quality line pipe from China, Mexico, and South Korea.

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its final results of the changed circumstances antidumping (AD) duty review of pressure sensitive plastic tape from Italy, concluding that Tyco Adhesives Italia S.p.A. (Tyco) is the successor-in-interest to Manuli Tapes S.p.A. (Manuli)

CompTel/Ascent Alliance supported a proposal by the Australian telecom regulator to require mobile operators to gradually reduce the costs of terminating calls by half by 2007. But it said it remained concerned that “gradual decrease may inhibit competition.” The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued a preliminary decision Fri., saying it planned to continue to regulate the mobile termination services. The decision came as part of a wide-ranging ACCC review of the regulation of Australian mobile telephone services launched by the regulator last March. ACCC Comr. Ed Willett said in a statement that current termination charges in Australia were “at least twice the cost of delivering the service.” The Commission said the current approach, which was introduced in July 2001 and used retail benchmarking principles to guide the industry in the wholesale pricing of that service, had “not been as effective as it was hoped” and retail prices in mobile services had “not decreased as much as was expected.” The Commission recommended the adoption of a more direct pricing principle that would require mobile operators to gradually reduce the price of the mobile termination service to 9 cents per min. by Jan. 2007. It said the new price was based on the accounting information provided by Australian mobile operators and benchmarking against cost estimates worldwide. The draft pricing principle would require the price to fall to 16 cents per min. by July 1, 2004, with 3 further reductions of 2 cents per min. on Jan. 1 in each of the 3 following years. Willett said the new approach would ensure “a closer correlation between the price and the cost of delivering the mobile termination service.” The ACCC asked for comment on the draft by April 30, saying it expected to issue its final decision in June. CompTel/Ascent Chief Legal Officer Ann Bischoff applauded the proposal, saying that was “a significant step that will eventually help cut in half some of the highest mobile termination rates in the world.” But, she said she was “concerned” that the gradual implementation of the rate reductions was “too slow” and would “cost consumers billions of dollars in unnecessary fees. We believe that an immediate move toward cost-based rates would result in a more robust, competitive marketplace in Australia that would translate into lower bills for consumers.”

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice stating that at the request of the petitioner, International Imaging Materials, Inc. (IIMAK), it has further postponed the final antidumping (AD) duty determination on wax and wax/resin thermal transfer ribbons from South Korea until no later than March 29, 2004 (from March 22, 2004).

EchoStar has settled a 6-year-old suit with CBS-TV that sought to bar it from providing distant network signals. The settlement -- reached this month and disclosed in EchoStar’s 10-K report filed at the SEC -- is the 3rd the satellite service provider has reached with TV networks.

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated an antidumping (AD) duty investigation of magnesium metal from Russia.

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated an antidumping (AD) duty investigation of magnesium metal from China.

In its 2nd week available, Columbia TriStar’s Mona Lisa Smile was again the top-rented DVD in the U.S., Rentrak said its preliminary Home Video Essentials data for the week ended March 21 showed Thurs. Rentrak said the movie earned an additional $4.99 million on DVD in the week for a total of $10.93 million to date. On DVD and VHS, the title was also #1, earning $6.7 million for a total of $14.79 million. In its first full week available, Universal’s Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat was the #2- rented title on DVD and VHS, earning $5.47 million in the week for a total of $5.53 million. On DVD alone, the movie earned $3.95 million in the week and $3.99 million to date. The only other new title in the top 10 was Universal’s drama 21 Grams at #9 in DVD and VHS rentals. Rentrak said the title earned $2.93 million in the week and $2.97 million to date. On DVD alone, 21 Grams earned $2.33 million in the week and $2.37 million to date.