Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. First Japan-U.S. Conference on Product Safety Held in November

2. CBP Requests Comments on Draft EIS for Border Fence in Rio Grande Sector

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice announcing the availability of and requesting comments by December 31, 2007 on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to identify and assess the potential impacts associated with the proposed construction, maintenance, and operation of tactical infrastructure to include pedestrian fence, access roads, and patrol roads along approximately 70 miles of the U.S./Mexico international border within the U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector. (FR Pub 11/16/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22483.pdf)

3. CBP Proposes Interpretation for Hawaiian Coastwise Cruises

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice requesting comments on or before December 21, 2007 on proposed new criteria to be used to determine whether non-coastwise-qualified vessels are in violation of the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) when engaging in cruise itineraries in which passengers board at a U.S. port, the vessel calls at several Hawaiian ports and then proceeds to a foreign port or ports briefly before returning to the original U.S. port where the passengers disembark to complete their cruise, which CBP believes evades the PVSA. (CBP notice, FR Pub 11/21/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/30nov20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22788.pdf)

4. CBP Increases FBI Fingerprint Fee to $32.49

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a general notice announcing that the fee collected by CBP (as charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation) regarding the submission of fingerprints for those applying for certain positions or requesting various identification cards which necessitate a fingerprint records check, was scheduled to be raised to a total of $32.49 (from $28.25) effective November 20, 2007. (FR Pub 11/20/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22646.pdf)

5. DOE Considers Energy Conservation Standards for 4 Appliance Products

The Department of Energy has issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) and notice of public meeting on December 13, 2007 in Washington, DC to consider establishing energy conservation standards for four appliance products: residential dishwashers, dehumidifiers, electric and gas kitchen ranges and ovens and microwave ovens (cooking products) and commercial clothes washers. (DOE notice, FR Pub 11/15/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22040.pdf)

6. APHIS to Relieve Restrictions on Importation of Sheep Semen, Etc.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective December 17, 2007, amending the regulations regarding the importation of animal germplasm by removing specific restrictions on sheep semen from regions where scrapie exists and requiring the inclusion of additional information on the international health certificate accompanying sheep and goat semen. (D/N APHIS-2006-0120, FR Pub 11/15/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22279.pdf)

7. APHIS Lists Additional Countries as Low, No Risk for Swine Diseases, Etc.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective December 13, 2007, amending the regulations governing the importation of animals and animal products to add the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to the region of the European Union that it recognizes as low risk for classical swine fever (CSF). APHIS is also adding the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to the list of regions it considers free from swine vesicular disease (SVD) and adding Latvia and Lithuania to the list of regions considered free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and rinderpest. (D/N APHIS-2006-0106, FR Pub 11/28/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23126.pdf)

8. AMS Withdraws ANPR on U.S. Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados

The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a notice withdrawing its March 2007 advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) on possible revisions to the voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados, stating it has decided not to proceed further on that action. (AMS withdrawal notice, FR Pub 11/05/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-5468.pdf)

9. Maritime Administration Extends VISA Until Oct. 1, 2009

The Maritime Administration has issued a notice announcing the extension of the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement until October 1, 2009. The purpose of the VISA is to make intermodal shipping services/systems, including ships, ships' space, intermodal equipment and related management services, available to the Department of Defense as required to support the emergency deployment and sustainment of U.S. military forces. (FR Pub 11/07/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-21867.pdf)

10. ITA Receives Application for Export Trade Certificate of Review

The International Trade Administration's Office of Export Trading Company Affairs has issued a notice stating that it has received an application from XCC EXPORTZ INC. for an Export Trade Certificate of Review, which, if granted, will protect the applicant and members identified in the Certificate from specific antitrust actions. Written comments should be submitted no later than 20 days after December 3, 2007. (FR Pub 12/03/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23403.pdf)

11. FMC Lists OTI Reissuances and Revocations

The Federal Maritime Commission has issued two notices that either reissue Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) licenses or revoke OTI licenses: