The Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated July 2 with the following headquarters rulings (ruling revocations and modifications will be detailed elsewhere in a separate article as they are announced in the Customs Bulletin):
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Jan. 25 (some may also be given separate headlines):
The International Trade Commission is issuing a limited exclusion order banning imports of e-cigarette cartridges from four companies that it has determined infringe patents held by Juul, it said in a notice. The order, which applies to DripTip Vapes, Shenzhen OVNS, Shenzhen Haka and Shenzhen OCIGA, concludes a Section 337 investigation that began in December 2018 (see 1812270023), based on allegations that companies mainly in the U.S. and China are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy Juul's patented technologies, including for nicotine “pods,” mouthpieces, storage compartments and heaters. The ITC also issued cease and desist orders against DripTip, OVNS, Haka and OCIGA, and set bond at 281% for entries of covered products imported during the 60-day period the administration has to review the exclusion order.
The International Trade Commission is beginning another Section 337 investigation into allegations that electronic delivery systems from a second set of companies infringe patents held by Juul Labs, it said in a press release. In a complaint filed Nov. 20, Juul had alleged that companies mainly in the U.S. and China are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy its patented designs, including nicotine “pods,” mouthpieces, storage compartments and heaters. The ITC recently began another investigation based on Juul's similar allegations against another set of companies (see 1812130036). In this investigation, the ITC will consider whether to issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of infringing merchandise by the following companies:
The International Trade Commission will consider bans on imports of e-cigarettes from a lengthy list of companies in the U.S. and China, beginning a Section 337 investigation Dec. 10 to consider Juul Labs' claims of patent infringement, the ITC said in a news release. In a complaint filed in early October (see 1810110024), Juul said the companies are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy its patented designs, which cover pod-based e-cigarettes that use a heating element that atomizes a nicotine-containing liquid in a pod and delivers it to the user through the mouthpiece as a vapor. Juul has since filed a second, separate Section 337 complaint on the same products from a different set of companies (see 1811270017). The ITC will in its investigation consider issuing a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems by the following respondents:
Juul Labs on Nov. 20 filed another Section 337 complaint seeking a ban on imports of electronic nicotine delivery systems from a second set of companies that Juul alleges infringe its patents. Similar to a complaint filed by Juul in October (see 1810110024), the e-cigarette maker’s new complaint says a separate group of companies mainly in the U.S. and China are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy its patented designs, including nicotine “pods,” mouthpieces, storage compartments and heaters. The complaint requests a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders against the following respondents: DripTip Vapes, The Electric Tobacconist, Fuma Vapor, Lan & Mike International Trading, Lizard Juice, Maduro Distributors, MistHub, Noah Dovberg, ParallelDirect, Saddam Aburoumi, Sarvasva, Shenzhen Haka Flavor Technology, Shenzhen OCIGA Technology, Shenzhen OVNS Technology, Shenzhen Yibo Technology, Twist Vapor Franchising, United Wholesale, Vape4U, Vaperz, Vaportronix, Vapor 4 Life Holdings, The ZFO, Ziip Lab S.A. and Zipp Lab Co. Ltd. Comments are due to the ITC by Dec. 5.