Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. WTO Again Rules Against EU in Long Running Banana Dispute

2. China's 2007 Export Rebate Adjustment Has Affected its Textile Companies

Fibre2fashion reports that the adjustment of the export rebate rate in China in 2007 resulted in losses of more than $100 million for the local textile industry and caused large Chinese textile enterprises to divert into related industries such as dyeing and printing to remain in the market. (Fibre2fashion, dated 02/12/08, available at http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=50132)

3. C-TPAT Membership Beginning to Seem More Mandatory than Voluntary

The Journal of Commerce reports that as more companies require their vendors to be Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism members and the number of inspections and audits on C-TPAT-eligible companies increase, membership in C-TPAT is beginning to seem more mandatory than voluntary. (Journal of Commerce, dated 02/11/08, www.joc.com)

4. U.S. Request for Sanctions Against EC in GMO Case Referred to Arbitration

The World Trade Organization reports that the U.S.' request to impose sanctions on the European Community in a WTO case on genetically-modified organisms has been referred to arbitration. In its request for authorization to impose sanctions, the U.S. stated that even though more than four and half years had passed since it brought the case to the WTO in May of 2003, the dispute remained unresolved. (WTO, dated 02/08/08, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news08_e/dsb_8feb08_e.htm)

5. DOE 2007 Climate Report Indicates Improved Emissions for 2002-2006

The Department of Energy has issued a press release announcing the Climate VISION Progress Report 2007, which reports on the actions taken by energy-intensive industries to improve greenhouse gas emissions intensity of their operations from 2002-2006, and indicates that the power and energy-intensive industrial sectors improved their combined emissions intensity by 9.4% over this four year period, and in 2006, actual greenhouse gas emissions for these sectors fell a combined 1.4%. (DOE press release, dated 02/11/08, available at http://www.energy.gov/news/5982.htm)

6. Census Reminds Trade of Upcoming AES Compliance Seminars

The Census Bureau issued three Automated Export System broadcast messages reminding the trade about the following upcoming AES compliance seminars:

Miami, FL - March 5-6, 2008

Houston, TX - March 26-27, 2008

New Orleans, LA - April 23-24, 2008

(AES Broadcast Nos. 2008007, 2008008, & 2008009, available by emailing BP at documents@brokerpower.com)

7. NHTSA Announces Possibility Global Technical Regulation on Glazing

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a notice that there may be a vote to adopt the Global Technical Regulation on Glazing at the March 2008 session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. In anticipation of this vote, NHTSA is requesting comments by March 6, 2008. (D/N NHTSA-2008-0008 Notice 1, FR Pub 02/11/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2474.pdf)

8. Defense Trade Advisory Group is Accepting Membership Applications

The State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs' Defense Trade Advisory Group is accepting membership applications. The Bureau is particularly interested in applications from trade associations that represent defense industrial and technology sectors and academic and other research institutions with expertise in defense technology. Applications must be postmarked by March 10, 2008. (Public Notice 6081, FR Pub 02/11/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2495.pdf)

9. Foreign-Trade Zones Board Actions

The FTZB has issued the following notice of recent FTZ actions:

10. CBP Accredits Commercial Gauger and/or Laboratory

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice stating that it has accredited and approved SGS North America, Inc., Deer Park, TX, as commercial gauger and/or laboratory for petroleum and petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils, and to test petroleum and petroleum products for customs purposes, in accordance with 19 CFR 151.12 and/or 151.13, effective May 2, 2007. (FR Pub 02/13/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2632.pdf)

11. State's ITAC to Hold Open Meeting

The State Department has issued a notice announcing that its International Telecommunication Advisory Committee will hold an open meeting on February 26, 2008 in the Washington, DC metro area to prepare advice on the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly 2008 (WTSA 08). (Public notice 6095, FR Pub 02/13/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2654.pdf)

12. FMC Lists OTI Reissuance

The Federal Maritime Commission has issued a notice that reissues an Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) license, as follows:

(FMC notice, FR Pub 02/13/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2669.pdf)

13. FMC Lists OTI Applications

The Federal Maritime Commission has issued a notice listing those applying for Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) licenses as a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), or NVOCC/Ocean Freight Forwarder (NVOCC/FF) as follows:

(FMC notice, FR Pub 02/13/08) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-2657.pdf)