Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has announced that the U.S. and the European Union have reached a provisional agreement in the EU - beef hormones dispute. The agreement, in principle, would provide additional duty-free access to the EU market for U.S. beef produced from cattle that have not been treated with growth-promoting hormones, and the eventual elimination of U.S. sanctions over a four year period. (See future issues of ITT for BP summary.) (USTR press release, dated 05/06/09, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2009/May/United_States_European_Union_Reach_Provisional_Agreement_in_Beef_Dispute.html)
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1. USTR Announces Provisional Agreement in EU Beef Hormone Dispute
2. ATA Release on Preliminary Injunction Against Seven Elements of the LB/LA Ports' CTP Concession Plans
The American Trucking Associations has issued a press release on the April 29, 2009 final order of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (following its tentative ruling of April 27, 2009), which immediately enjoins seven elements of the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles' Concession Plans, including Los Angeles' employee mandate. (Release, available at http://www.truckline.com/AdvIssues/Litigation/Pages/ATAvPortsofLosAngelesandLongBeach.aspx)
3. USDA Says Canada May Have Swine Testing Positive for H1N1 Flu
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack has issued a statement announcing that Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) officials have tentatively confirmed that swine from a herd in Alberta, Canada, have tested positive for the H1N1 strain currently causing illness in humans. According to Secretary Vilsack, there have been no reports that the novel H1N1 strain currently causing illness in humans is in U.S. swine, and he stated again that H1N1 is not a foodborne illness. (Release, dated 05/02/09, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/05/0142.xml)
4. FSIS Posts Revised Export Requirements for China, EU, Russia, Etc.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has posted updated export requirements for China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and the European Union. The requirements for China, Uzbekistan, and Russia were updated to place restrictions on certain pork/pork products from the U.S. Kyrgyzstan's export requirements state that all meat and poultry and meat and poultry products are ineligible for import from the U.S. The European Union's export requirements contain updated information on certification for fresh meat transit/storage.
5. FSIS Notice on Export of Poultry Product Produced for Russia
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has posted a notice on the export of poultry product produced for Russia. (Notice, dated 05/04/09, available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/36-09.pdf)
6. CPSC Commissioners Vote to Stay CPSIA Lead Content Provisions for Youth ATVs, Etc.
The Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a Federal Register notice (with certain changes from a CPSC-staff proposed version) to stay enforcement until May 1, 2011 of the lead content provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 for certain component parts of youth all-terrain vehicles, youth off-road motorcycles, and youth snowmobiles. The record of the Commission's action, including statements by both Commissioners is available here. The Federal Register notice announcing the stay is available here. CPSC has also posted a notice of its approved ATV action plans which is available here.
7. USTR, Japan's Trade Minister Discuss Trade-Related Issues
U.S. Trade Representative Kirk and Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nikai met in Washington D.C. on May 4, 2009, to discuss various bilateral and multilateral trade-related issues. (Release, dated 05/04/09, available at http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2009/May/asset_upload_file3_15635.pdf)
8. Argentina Expands Coverage of Import Licensing Requirements to Textile Made-ups
The Office of Textiles and Apparel has announced that effective March 25, 2009, Argentina expanded the product coverage of imports that are subject to a non-automatic import licensing requirement. This non-automatic licensing requirement is now applicable to the following textile made-ups: HTS 6301.90.00, 6302.32.00, 6302.60.00, 6302.21.00, 6302.39.00, 6302.91.00, 6302.22.00, 6302.40.00, 6303.91.00, 6302.29.00, 6302.51.00, 6303.92.00, 6302.31.00 and 6302.53.00. (Notice, dated 05/04/09, available at http://web.ita.doc.gov/otexa/hotiss.nsf/7bfa72c94f543da685256e5b00498a4d/a76dfeab4bb7d0c5852575ac0047e369?OpenDocument)
9. CBSA Initiates "Reinvestigation" of Certain Whole Potatoes from U.S.
On May 4, 2009, the Canada Border Services Agency initiated a "reinvestigation" of certain whole potatoes originating in or exported from the U.S. for use or consumption in the province of British Columbia. This re-investigation is part of the CBSA's enforcement of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal findings of June 4, 1984 and April 18, 1986, respecting the subject goods, which were continued in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005. (Notice, dated 05/04/09, available at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/sima-lmsi/ri-re/ad0689/ad0689-ri09-ni-eng.html)
10. CPSC Lists Voluntary Recall
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published notice of the following voluntary recall:
| Product: Reason | Company | Release |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin Patch Hooded Girls' Raincoats: Strangulation Hazard | Pumpkin Patch LLC (CA) | 09-208 |
(CPSC recalls available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelapr09.html