Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
American Shipper reports that the U.S. and the European Union hope to conclude a mutual recognition agreement by mid-2009 of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and the EU's Authorized Economic Operator program to allow reciprocal faster customs clearance. The article notes that while progress toward mutual recognition has been made, C-TPAT's lack of inclusion of exports remains a difficulty. (American Shipper, dated 12/14/07, www.americanshipper.com)
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
1. US/EU Hope to Sign Agreement Mutually Recognizing C-TPAT/AEO by 2009
2. WCO to Seek "Constructive Engagement" with U.S. on 100% Scanning
Shipper's NewsWire reports that the World Customs Organization's leadership plans to meet with U.S. lawmakers in upcoming weeks and months to convince them to soften their stance on 100% scanning. (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/18/07 news, 07121805, for BP summary on the joint resolution issued by the WCO and the Private Sector Consultative Group opposing the U.S. 100% scanning requirement.) (SNW, dated 12/11/07, www.americanshipper.com)
3. AAPA Hails Port Funding Provisions in FY 2008 Omnibus Spending Bill
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has issued a press release on the port funding provisions in the fiscal year 2008 omnibus spending package, which include $400 million for the Federal Emergency Management Administration's Port Security Grant program and $8.1 million to fully fund the Transportation Security Administration's biometric card reader pilot projects as part of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. (AAPA press release, dated 12/20/07, available at http://www.aapa-ports.org/Press/PRdetail.cfm?itemnumber=5400.)
4. USTR Release on WTO Ruling on "Zeroing" Dispute with Mexico
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab has issued a press release on a World Trade Organization panel decision involving the "zeroing" method for calculating antidumping duties. This case concerned a challenge by Mexico on the use of zeroing by the U.S. Department of Commerce. (USTR press release, dated 12/20/07, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2007/December/United_States_Wins_WTO_Zeroing_Dispute_with_Mexico.html.)
5. USDA Opens New Agricultural Trade Office in Chengdu, China
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a press release announcing that it has opened a new agricultural trade office in Chengdu, China, making it the fourth USDA agricultural trade office on mainland China. (USDA press release, No. 0373.07, dated 12/14/07, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2007%2F12%2F0373.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NEWS_RELEASE)
6. U.S., China Sign Memorandum to Increase Biofuels Production and Use
The U.S. Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA) have issued press releases announcing that they and China's National Development and Reform Commission signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen and expand cooperation on biofuels production and use, ahead of the third U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) held December 12-13, 2007. (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/21/07 news, 07122115, for BP summary of other outcomes of the third U.S.-China SED.) (DOE press release, dated 12/12/07, available at http://www.energy.gov/news/5770.htm and USDA press release, No. 0370.07, dated 12/12/07, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2007%2F12%2F0370.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NEWS_RELEASE)
7. USDA Research Service Issues Updated Foreign Agricultural Trade Data
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service has issued a data set summarizing the latest U.S. foreign agricultural trade statistics using the most recent data released by the Commerce Department, which includes 2004-2007 data, 2007-2008 fiscal year-to-date data, and October 2007 data for agricultural imports and exports. (ERS data sets, updated 12/12/07, available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FATUS/MonthlySummary.htm)