A social media app developer sued Facebook for alleged anti-competitive behavior. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court, San Diego, by Sambreel Holdings. Some of Sambreel’s products “compete with Facebook in the sale of display advertising impressions,” Sambreel said in the complaint. In 2009, Facebook approached Sambreel regarding its product, PageRage. Facebook said PageRage “needed to be operated independent of the Facebook platform” and requested that the application not operate on the platform and Sambreel removed it, the complaint said. When the app’s users and revenue grew, “Facebook’s attitude towards PageRage changed.” The app “represented a particular threat to Facebook because it offered advertisers a low-cost alternative to purchasing advertisements from Facebook.” Sambreel alleged that Facebook violated the Sherman Antitrust Act and California state laws prohibiting unfair competition and interference with contract. Facebook informed Sambreel’s advertising partners “that they would not be allowed to work with Facebook or the application developers unless they ceased doing business with PageRage,” Sambreel said. As a result, advertising rates fell by more than 50 percent, “as demand for PageRage ad impressions plummeted.” Sambreel also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent Facebook from requiring its partners to boycott. “We believe this complaint is without merit and we will fight it vigorously,” a Facebook spokesman said.
The International Trade Administration is publishing notices in the March 21, 2012 Federal Register on the following AD/CV proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, the scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The International Trade Administration issued a fact sheet on May 20, 2012 announcing its affirmative final determination in the antidumping duty investigation of certain steel nails from the UAE (A-520-804). According to the ITA’s fact sheet, the mandatory respondents Dubai Wire FZE and Precision Fasteners LLC received AD rates of 6.29% and 2.8%, respectively, while Tech Fast International Ltd. received an AD rate of 184.41% as a result of the ITA’s application of adverse facts available. All other UAE producer/exporters received a preliminary AD margin of 4.55%. As a result of the final determination, the ITA will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to continue to collect a cash deposits or bonds equal to these AD rates.
The International Trade Administration issued a fact sheet on May 20, 2012 announcing its affirmative final determinations in the antidumping investigations of galvanized steel wire from China and Mexico (A-570-975 and A-201-840, respectively) and the countervailing investigation of the same merchandise from China (A-570-976). According to the ITA's fact sheet, the final AD rates for China range from 194% to 235%, and for Mexico from 20.89% to 37.69%. The final CV rates for China range from 19.06% to 223.27%.
The International Trade Administration issued a fact sheet on May 20, 2012 announcing its affirmative final determinations in the antidumping investigations of certain stilbenic optical brightening agents from China and Taiwan (A-570-972 and A-583-848, respectively). According to the ITA's fact sheet, the final AD rates for China range from 63.98% to 109.95%, and the final AD rate for Taiwan for both the only respondent and all other producer/exporters is 6.2%.
The International Trade Administration issued a fact sheet on March 20, 2012 announcing its affirmative preliminary determination in the countervailing duty investigation of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules from China (C-570-980). According to the ITA’s fact sheet, the mandatory respondents Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd. and Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. received preliminary CV rates of 2.9% and 4.73%, respectively. All other Chinese producer/exporters received a preliminary CV margin of 3.61%. As a result of the preliminary determination, the ITA will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond based on these preliminary rates.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has listed the trade benefits for participants in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) by industry segment. Specific benefits are listed for Customs brokers, importers, self-filers, sureties, carriers, trade account owners (TAOs), as well as all users with portal accounts, for (1) ACE Secure Data Portal, (2) Periodic Monthly Statement, (3) ACE Reports, (4) Entry Summary Filing, (5) Post Summary Corrections, (6) e-Manifest: Truck and (7) e-Manifest: Rail and Sea.
On March 13, 2012 the Coast Guard denied a petition to amend the regulations concerning foreign-rebuilt determinations for vessels entitled to a coastwise trade endorsement. The Coast Guard denied the petition because, among other reasons, (i) a settled understanding of the regulation now exists due to court decisions, (ii) the proposal would result in onerous new requirements for any applicant seeking to have work done at a foreign shipyard, and (iii) the proposed amendments would make the Jones Act inconsistent with national treatment obligations of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
The International Trade Administration has issued a notice highlighting the antidumping and countervailing (AD/CV) duty-related provision of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KFTA), which took effect on March 15, 2012. Article 10.7 of the KFTA, which covers AD/CV duties, requires, among other things: (1) notification to the other party after receipt of a petition; and (2) the opportunity for the other party to take action on price and/or quantity of subject merchandise, after both initiation and the preliminary determination, in order to reach a settlement. This provision is not subject to dispute settlement, and only the notification requirements are binding.
The International Trade Administration has issued a fact sheet announcing its affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty investigations of bottom mount combination refrigerator-freezers from Korea and Mexico (A-580-865 and A-201-839, respectively), and the countervailing duty investigation of the same product from Korea (C-580-866), its finding of targeted dumping for two companies from Korea, and its finding of AD critical circumstances for one company from Mexico.