Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
1. Add'l Firms Agree to Pay to Civil Penalties to Settle CPSC Drawstring Allegations
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that Maran and K.S. Trading have agreed to pay a total of $85,000 in civil penalties to settle allegations that the firms knowingly failed to report to CPSC immediately, as required by federal law, that children's hooded sweatshirts they sold had drawstrings at the neck. (CPSC press release, dated 09/08/09, available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09339.html)
2. TWIC Enrollment Centers Closed Due to Technical Problems
The Transportation Worker Identification Website states that as of September 8, 2009, all TWIC enrollment centers were closed due to technical difficulties. (TWIC notice available at http://twicinformation.tsa.dhs.gov/twicinfo/index.jsp)
3. DOJ Will Not Challenge Less-Than-Truckload Freight Transportation Joint Venture
The Department of Justice has announced that it will not challenge a proposal by seven regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation companies to bid jointly and engage in other collaborative activity as part of their nationwide LTL truck transportation services joint venture. The carriers have represented that each serves a distinct geographic region in North America with insignificant overlap among their respective operations. (Press release, dated 09/08/09, available at http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/September/09-at-935.html.)
4. BIS Denies Export Privileges to Two Individuals
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued orders denying certain export privileges to Andrew Ward Freyer and Bertrand Lalsingh. (Notices, FR Pub 09/09/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-21633.pdf and http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-21634.pdf.)
5. BIS Issues Q&A on Final Rule on Expanded License Policy for Telecommunications to Cuba
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued Questions and Answers on its September 8, 2009 final rule on Cuba titled: Revisions to Gift Parcel and Baggage Restrictions, Creation of License Exception for Donated Consumer Communications Devices and Expansion of Licensing Policy Regarding Telecommunications. A related press release is alsoavailable. (Q&A available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/news/2009/cubaqa.htm; Press release, dated 09/03/09, available here http://www.bis.doc.gov/news/2009/bis_press09032009.htm.)
6. WCO Opens Registration for First Technology and Innovation Conference
The World Customs Organization is announcing that registration is now open for what will be its First Technology and Innovation Forum, which will be dedicated to Customs and Border inspection technologies. The Forum will be held November 5-6, 2009 in Brussels. (Notice available at http://www.wcoomd.org/event_introductionen.htm.)
7. DEA Announces 14th Pharmaceutical Industry Conference
The Drug Enforcement Administration is sponsoring the 14th Pharmaceutical Industry Conference, October 14 & 15, 2009, in Portland, Oregon. The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum to present federal laws and regulations that affect the pharmaceutical industry and to discuss practices to prevent pharmaceutical diversion while minimizing the impact on legitimate commerce. (DEA press release available at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/mtgs/pharm_industry/14th_pharm/)
8. EC 2008 Customs IPR Statistics Show Increase in Detained Articles
The European Commission's 2008 statistics of customs actions to enforce intellectual property rights at the European Union's external border show a significant increase for the sixth consecutive year. In 2008, customs registered over 49,000 cases of goods detained at the EU's external border, suspected of IPR infringements. This is up from 43,000 cases in 2007. (Press release, dated 09/07/09, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1106&format=HTML&aged=0&language=en&guiLanguage=en.)
9. Former Executive Pleads Guilty in Connection with Bribes Paid to U.K. Ministry of Defense Official
The former director of sales and marketing for Pacific Consolidated Industries LP (PCI) pleaded guilty today to charges related to the bribery of a U.K. Ministry of Defense (UK-MOD) official in order to obtain lucrative equipment contracts with the U.K. Royal Air Force, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The UK-MOD official pleaded guilty in the U.K. to accepting more than $300,000 in bribes from PCI and was sentenced to two years in prison. (Press release, dated 09/03/09, available at http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/September/09-crm-928.html.)
10. Consolidated DHS Headquarters Groundbreaking Ceremony Held
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a press release on the ceremonial groundbreaking on September 9, 2009 to commence consolidation of a new DHS headquarters. (Press release, dated 09/09/09, available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1252513779140.shtm.)
11. Presidential Determination on Defense Articles, Services to Central African States
The White House has posted a presidential determination that pursuant to the authority of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the Economic Community of Central African States will strengthen the security of the U.S. and promote world peace. (Determination No, 2009-26, dated 09/08/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Determination-of-Assistance-to-the-Economic-Community-of-Central-African-States/.)
12. Presidential Determination on Defense Articles, Services to the Maldives
The White House has posted a presidential determination that pursuant to the authority of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the Maldives will strengthen the security of the U.S. and promote world peace. (Determination No. 2009-25, dated 09/07/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Determination-of-Assistance-to-the-Maldives/.)
13. United States, Monaco Sign Tax Information Exchange Agreement
The Treasury Department announced that the U.S. and Monaco have signed an agreement to allow for the exchange of information on tax matters between the two countries. (Press release TG-278, dated 09/08/09, available at http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/tg278.htm.)
14. State Dept Announces Meeting of Shipping Coordinating Committee
The Shipping Coordinating Committee will conduct an open meeting on September 23, 2009, in Washington, DC. Matters to be considered include measures to improve maritime security. (Notice, FR Pub 09/09/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-21691.pdf.)
15. APHIS Canadian Border Agricultural Clearance PPQ Manual Updated
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has posted a Sept 4, 2009 version of its Canadian Border Agricultural Clearance PPQ Manual, which serves as a guide for authorized Federal officers at ports of entry along the Canadian Border. (APHIS manual, updated 09/04/09, available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/canadian.shtml)
16. FAS Reports Exhaustion of DEIP Allotment for Butter Among Four Bidders
The Foreign Agricultural Service reports that the Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation has accepted bids under the Dairy Export Incentive Program for butter to Africa and the Middle East from exporters Burt Lewis International Corp., Interfood, Inc., James Farrell & Co., and West Point Dairy Products., LLC. With these awards, the global DEIP balance is zero. Before the exhaustion of this DEIP global balance, the CCC accepted a bid from Burt Lewis International Corp. (available here) for butter to Africa and the Middle East. (FAS notice, dated 09/08/09, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout.asp?Entry=valid&PrNum=0218-09)
17. Updated List of Instructions and U.S. Plants for Exporting Meat and Poultry to Foreign Countries
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has provided updated information for the export of U.S. meat and poultry to the following countries:
Mexico Plant List (Sep 4, 2009)
Russia Plant List (Poultry) (Sep 4, 2009)
Australia Plant List(Sep 3, 2009)
18. FSIS Notices on Export Library, Residue Testing, Egg Products
The following notices advise FSIS inspection program personnel:
FSIS Notice 61-09 - Export Library Revisions for August 2009 (Sep 2, 2009)
FSIS Notice 60-09 - Ensuring Sample Integrity When Submitting Residue Samples to the Laboratory for Residue Testing (Sep 2, 2009)
FSIS Notice 59-09 - Certification Statements on Egg Products Inspection and Grading Certificates, (Aug 26, 2009)