Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. U.S. and Korea Agree to Work Together on U.S.-Korea FTA

2. U.S., Russia Pledge to Make Efforts to Finalize Russia's WTO Accession

The White House has issued a press release on the President's April 2, 2009 meeting with the Russian President. Both Presidents pledged to instruct their governments to make efforts to finalize Russia's accession into the World Trade Organization as soon as possible and continue working towards the creation of favorable conditions for the development of Russia-U.S. economic ties. (Press release, dated 04/02/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Joint-Statement-by-President-Dmitriy-Medvedev-of-the-Russian-Federation-and-President-Barack-Obama-of-the-United-States-of-America/.)

3. Canada Makes $46.7 Million Available to U.S. in Response to Tribunal Decision on Its Softwood Lumber Breach

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) has posted Canada's response to the international tribunal's decision regarding Canada's obligations under the Softwood Lumber Agreement. According to DFAIT, the Government of Canada has authorized and made available a payment of $46.7 million to the U.S. DFAIT states that this payment is equal to the amount of revenue that the U.S. claimed its industry lost due to the breach, and Canada sees this as fully compensating the U.S. for these losses. Canada is asking the tribunal to confirm that the payment cures the breach in a manner consistent with the Agreement. (DFAIT response, dated 03/31/09, available at http://w01.international.gc.ca/minpub/Publication.aspx?isRedirect=True&publication_id=387003&language=E&docnumber=86)

4. Attorney General Holder Says New ATF, DEA, FBI, DHS Personnel Being Sent to Mexico-U.S. Border

The Justice Department has posted Attorney General Holder's April 2, 2009 remarks at the Mexico-U.S. Arms Trafficking Conference. Among other things, the Attorney General states that the Justice Department is committing 100 new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives personnel to the Southwest border in the next 100 days to supplement its ongoing Project Gunrunner; the Drug Enforcement Agency is adding 16 new positions on the border, as well as mobile enforcement teams, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is creating a new intelligence group focusing on kidnapping and extortion. Holder said DHS is making similar commitments. The Justice Department also issued a fact sheet on its efforts to combat Mexican drug cartels. (Attorney General Holder's remarks, dated 04/02/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2009/ag-speech-090402.html)

5. President Announces More Administration Posts

On April 2, 2009, the President announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts: Robert M. Groves, Director of the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce; Victor M. Mendez, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation; and Peter H. Appel, Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Department of Transportation. (Press release, dated 04/02/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-More-Key-Administration-Posts-4-2-09/.)

6. FAS Accepting FY 2009 TASC Applications to Facilitate Exports of U.S. Specialty Crops, Etc

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service announced that it continues to accept applications for fiscal year 2009 funding for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) Program which makes available $7 million in funding to assist U.S. organizations in addressing foreign phytosanitary or related technical restrictions that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops. Specialty crops include all cultivated plants and their products produced in the U.S. except wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar and tobacco. (FAS press release, dated 04/02/09, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout.asp?Entry=valid&PrNum=0053-09)

7. APHIS Issues Final Rule on Sampling and Testing of Poultry

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule that effective May 1, 2009 amends the National Poultry Improvement Plan and its auxiliary provisions by providing new or modified sampling and testing procedures for Plan participants and participating flocks. According to APHIS, the U.S. is the world's largest exporter of poultry meat. (D/N APHIS-2007-0042, FR Pub 04/03/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7240.pdf)

8. APHIS Issues Interim Rule on Garbage Fed to Swine

APHIS has issued an interim rule that effective April 3, 2009, amends the swine health protection regulations to ensure that garbage fed to swine has been treated to inactivate disease organisms that pose a risk to the U.S. swine industry. APHIS states that U.S. swine and swine product exports currently proceed without disease-related restrictions. Maintaining such favorable export conditions depends in part on continued efforts to prevent transmission of foreign diseases to U.S. swine. Written comments are due by June 2, 2009. (D/N APHIS-2008-0120, FR Pub 04/03/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7507.pdf)

9. NIST Proposes Revision to Voluntary ''American Softwood Lumber Standard''

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking comments for the proposed revision of Voluntary Product Standard (PS) 20-05, ''American Softwood Lumber Standard.'' This standard, prepared by the American Lumber Standard Committee provides for uniform, industry-wide grade-marking and inspection requirements for softwood lumber. (D/N 090306279-9290-01, FR Pub 04/03/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7518.pdf)

10. OTEXA Seminar on Regional Textile & Apparel Trade Agreements

The Office of Textiles and Apparel has announced a seminar entitled "Regional Textile and Apparel Trade Agreements: An Update," to take place on April 21, 2009, as part of Material World & Technology Solutions from April 21-23 in Miami, FL. (OTEXA notice available at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/PDFs/Material_World_Announcement.pdf)

11. WTO Director General Welcomes G20's $250 Billion for Trade Finance

World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy stated that he welcomed the G20 Summit's pledge to support trade finance. "Trade is contracting sharply, exacerbated by the lack of trade finance. The G20 commitment to provide US$ 250 billion for trade finance shows the capacity of the international community to address urgent global needs by helping to restore trade as an engine of growth." The G20 statement is available here. (WTO news release available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm)

12. EU Reports 63 Billion Euro Trade Surplus with U.S. in 2008 in Goods

The European Commission has posted statistics on the European Union's trade in goods and services with the U.S. Among other things, the EC notes that the European Union had a 63 billion euro surplus with the U.S. in trade in goods in 2008. (EU, dated 04/03/09, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=STAT/09/47&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)

13. CPSC Lists Voluntary Recalls

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published notice of the following voluntary recalls:

CPSC recalls available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelapr09.html

14. Revised FDA Import Alerts

The Food and Drug Administration has posted revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:

Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans

Surgical Instruments from Pakistan

Manufacturers of Low Acid Canned Foods and Acidified Foods

Food Products Due to the Presence of Salmonella

Devices That Have Not Met Device GMPs

Cantaloupes from Mexico

Surgeon's and/or Patient Examination Gloves

Processed Products for Pesticides

15. FAS Global Agriculture Information Network Reports

The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN reports:

Belize FAIRS Country Report: Annual

China Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Food Safety: China's Cold Chain Logistics - The View from Beijing

EU-27 Planting Seeds: EU-27 Planting Seeds Situation