The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on steel wire garment hangers from China (A-570-918) (here). Rates calculated in this review will be used to set assessment rates for importers of subject merchandise from two exporters that was entered October 2013 through September 2014.
Advanced Digital Broadcast, the Swiss-based supplier of HD set-top boxes, residential gateway devices and other products to pay-TV operators worldwide, is seeking a preliminary injunction preventing HDMI Licensing from canceling its license agreement and preventing customs authorities from seizing ADB goods, the company said in a motion filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose. ADB wants the court to set an Aug. 12 motions hearing on the injunction request. ADB moved for the injunction days after its complaint accused HDMI Licensing of “wrongfully” demanding $905,000 in back royalties it doesn’t owe (see 1507010017). The complaint didn’t seek a preliminary injunction, only a court “declaration” that HDMI Licensing “is precluded” from notifying customs that ADB goods “are unauthorized and subject to seizure because they are not.” ADB has argued it has dutifully paid HDMI Licensing the 4 cent-per-unit royalty it owed, but that the licensor is wrongfully demanding 10 cents per unit more on the grounds -- denied by ADB -- that ADB failed to “reasonably” incorporate HDMI trademarks on its product documentation materials. If HDMI Licensing isn't “enjoined” from canceling the license agreement and calling for customs seizures of ADB shipments, ADB “will suffer immediate irreparable harm as it will no longer be able to represent to its customers that it supplies licensed products,” its injunction motion said. “The inability to do so will severely harm the reputation of ADB and the goodwill it has established in the U.S. market and its industry worldwide.” ADB also fears the jobs of its 50 U.S. employees will be “at risk,” it said. HDMI Licensing representatives have declined comment on the case.
The U.S. and other P5 + 1 countries struck a historic deal with Iran early on July 14 to provide guidelines and directives to administer the Iranian nuclear enrichment program, the White House and other negotiators said in statements. The accord will launch a rollout of U.S. “phased sanctions relief upon verification that Iran has implemented key nuclear commitments,” said the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control in its July 14 directive (here).
The Commerce Department issued a countervailing duty order on steel nails from Vietnam (C-552-819) (here). The order details a "gap period" of no CV duty liability of March 3 - July 9.
The Commerce Department issued the final results of its countervailing duty administrative review on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules, from China (C-570-980) (here). These final results will be used to set final assessments of CV duties on importers for subject merchandise from the 68 companies under review entered March 26, 2012 through Dec. 31, 2012.
The Commerce Department issued the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules, from China (A-570-979) (here). These final results will be used to set final assessments of AD duties on importers for subject merchandise entered May 25, 2012 through Nov. 30, 2013 and exported by over 60 companies under review.
Colorado’s cities and towns are responding in a variety of ways to the state's 2005 law restricting a municipality’s right to build out its own broadband network. While that law in some form isn’t unique to Colorado, the difference is that it allows local governments to opt out with a ballot measure in an election. Because that option exists, some municipalities are exercising it, with Longmont leading the charge years ago and fighting the large telcos in two elections before winning and officially beginning the process of building out its own network. In the last election, Boulder’s residents voted to opt out of the law and now the city has hired a firm to do a study before moving forward. Bayfield is expected to have a measure asking residents to vote on opting out on the ballot in the November election.
Colorado’s cities and towns are responding in a variety of ways to the state's 2005 law restricting a municipality’s right to build out its own broadband network. While that law in some form isn’t unique to Colorado, the difference is that it allows local governments to opt out with a ballot measure in an election. Because that option exists, some municipalities are exercising it, with Longmont leading the charge years ago and fighting the large telcos in two elections before winning and officially beginning the process of building out its own network. In the last election, Boulder’s residents voted to opt out of the law and now the city has hired a firm to do a study before moving forward. Bayfield is expected to have a measure asking residents to vote on opting out on the ballot in the November election.
CTIA officials stressed in a meeting with aides to Commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly the need for the FCC to give carriers the time and information they need to make informed bids in the TV incentive auction, to guarantee the success of the auction. “CTIA urged the Commission to provide sufficient inter-service interference data, including detailed information on the television stations causing potential interference well in advance of the forward auction,” CTIA said in an ex parte filing on the meeting in docket 12-268. For example, carriers need information on potential impairments “as early as possible, including preliminary data once participants in the reverse auction are known,” CTIA said. “CTIA asked that the FCC release the formats for the files it will provide bidders during the auction well before the applications are due. In addition, the Commission should ensure that its proposals do not sacrifice informed decision-making in favor of auction speed.” The CTIA officials also cited the importance of minimizing impairment of the blocks offered for sale in the auction: “While a certain degree of impairment to 600 MHz licenses is inevitable, the Commission’s originally-proposed 20 percent threshold would result in significant impairment.”
The Commerce Department issued antidumping duty orders on steel nails from Malaysia (A-557-816), Oman (A-523-08), South Korea (A-580-874) and Vietnam (A-552-818) (here). The order details a "gap period" of June 27 - July 9 of no AD duty liability, as well as an exemption for the South Korea companies Jinheung Steel, Duo-Fast Korea Co., Ltd., and Jinsco International Corp.