The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Nov. 30 (some may also be given separate headlines):
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.
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Nov. 14 (some may also be given separate headlines):
Maritime and shipping container companies, a major trucking company and companies big and small whose livelihoods depend on Chinese imports will testify across a day and a half of hearings to help the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative determine which imports should be taxed to bring the list up to $50 billion in goods (see 1806210029). So far, $34 billion worth of imports are being taxed at 25 percent (see 1806150003). The USTR released a schedule of witnesses for the hearings, which will begin July 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington.
The FDA should “permanently rein in” restrictions on cigars, electronic cigarettes, pipe tobacco and other tobacco products pending implementation, Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in a May 17 letter (here). Johnson said the FDA’s recent delay of enforcement (see 1705120035) of the May 2016 rule is a “positive first step," but "more must be done.” Some estimates indicate that “costly and time-consuming” applications for federal approval to sell e-cigarette products under the rule could cost manufacturers more than $1 million to complete, Johnson said. “The rule threatens an emerging industry as well as former smokers who have switched to vaping.”
The Food and Drug Administration is placing new restrictions on cigars, electronic cigarettes, pipe tobacco and other tobacco products, bringing them under the scope of its tobacco regulations alongside cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, it said in a final rule (here). E-cigarettes, cigars (including premium cigars), pipe tobacco, nicotine gels, hookah tobacco, and nicotine dissolvables will face requirements including registration, FDA review, and health warning labels.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Jan 4-8 in case they were missed.
The International Trade Commission recently released the 2016 edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (here). Chapters 50-99 include corrections to tariff treatment for certain free trade agreements and the removal of tariff provisions for cathode-ray tube televisions. New statistical suffixes are being added for e-cigarettes, mattresses, and products subject to the tariff-rate quota on sugars, syrups and molasses. Most changes took effect Jan. 1.
The International Trade Commission recently released the 2016 edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (here). The new HTS implements a recent presidential proclamation that terminated benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act for Burundi (see 1512220025). Other changes include the addition of several new schedule B numbers for heavy fuel oils, the addition of new tariff numbers for veal and vaping liquids, and a lower duty rate for some wood flooring panels. Most changes took effect Jan. 1.