Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. Canada's Exports Hurt by its Rising Currency, Low U.S. Demand

2. NAFTA Surface Transportation Trade Up 5.5% in September

The Bureau of Trade Statistics has issued a press release announcing that trade using surface transportation between the U.S. and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 5.5% higher in September 2007 than in September 2006, reaching $66.8 billion. (BTS press release, BTS 55-07, dated 11/29/07, available at http://www.dot.gov/affairs/bts5507.htm)

3. Qantas Agrees to Plead Guilty, Pay Criminal Fines for Fixing Cargo Shipment Prices

The Justice Department has issued a press release announcing that Australian-based Qantas Airways Limited has agreed to plead guilty and pay a $61 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix rates for international air cargo shipments. According to the charges filed, Qantas engaged in a conspiracy to eliminate competition by fixing the rates for shipments of cargo to and from the U.S. and elsewhere from at least January 2000 to February 2006. (Press release, dated 11/27/07, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2007/November/07_at_943.html)

4. USDA Grants Protection to 22 New Plant Varieties

The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued certificates of protection to developers of 22 new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants, including cotton, fescue, pea, potato, soybean and wheat. AMS states that owners will have the exclusive right to reproduce, sell, import and export their products in the U.S. for the duration of protection. (AMS No. 203-07, dated 11/29/07, available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/news/203-07.htm)

5. Initial TWIC Enrollment in Dec. for Ports of Long Beach, Philly, Mobile, Etc.

The Transportation Security Administration has issued notices announcing that initial enrollment for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential will begin on December 5, 2007 for the port of Mobile, AL; on December 7, 2007 for the port of Indiana Harbor, IN; on December 12, 2007 for the ports of Brunswick, GA; Milwaukee, WI; and Long Beach, CA; and on December 13, 2007 for the port of Philadelphia, PA. (TSA notice, D/N TSA-2006-24191, FR Pub 11/28/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23125.pdf and TSA notice, D/N TSA-2006-24191, FR Pub 12/03/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23407.pdf)

6. State Department's Int'l Telecommunication Advisory Committee to Meet

The State Department has announced that its International Telecommunication Advisory Committee will meet on December 14, 2007 in Chantilly, VA to prepare advice on U.S. positions for a meeting of the Advisory and Study Groups of the International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). (State Dept. notice, Public Notice 5963, FR Pub 11/13/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22140.pdf)

7. FAA Amends Operating Limitations at New York LaGuardia Airport

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a notice that it is amending its December 2006 order limiting flight operations at New York's LaGuardia Airport in order to provide an approval for Operating Authorization (OA) transfers for "day-of" carrier substitutions; add a waiver for holiday periods, etc. for the 80 percent minimum use requirement; and provide a mechanism for withdrawal of OAs, among other things. (D/N FAA-2006-25755, FR Pub 11/08/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-5583.pdf)

8. OFAC Unblocks Property of 1 Individual, 12 Entities Under Terrorism EO

The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a notice that it is removing the names of one individual and twelve entities, effective November 15, 2007, from the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons whose property have been blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13224, "Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism." (FR Pub 11/23/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22897.pdf)

9. OFAC Blocks Property of Three Individuals Under Lebanon EO

The OFAC has issued a notice publishing the names of three newly designated individuals whose property and interests in property are blocked, effective November 5, 2007, pursuant to EO 13441, "Blocking Property of Persons Undermining the Sovereignty of Lebanon or Its Democratic Processes and Institutions." (FR Pub 11/23/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22888.pdf)

10. OFAC Blocks Property of One Individual Under Syria EO

The OFAC has issued a notice publishing the name of one newly designated individual whose property and interests in property are blocked, effective November 5, 2007, pursuant to EO 13338, "Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting the Export of Certain Goods to Syria." (FR Pub 11/23/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22874.pdf)

11. OFAC Blocks Property of Three Entities Under Terrorism EO

The OFAC has issued two notices publishing the names of three newly-designated entities whose property and interests in property are blocked, effective October 25 and November 15, 2007, pursuant to EO 13224, "Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism. (FR Pub 11/23/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22864.pdf and http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22866.pdf)

12. Recent CPSC Press Releases on Recalls

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued separate press releases (dated 10/01/07 - 10/31/07) announcing that the following companies, in cooperation with the CPSC, are voluntarily recalling the products listed below. Due to the large number of recalls, this is Part II of a multi-part series of summaries. (Press releases available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prereloct07.html)