Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. Secretary of State Announces Breakthrough on Elections in Honduras

2. Obama Administration Settles Hours-of-Service Case, Agrees to Start Over on Rule

Public Citizen reports that the Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration have agreed to abandon their defense of unsafe, longer working hour standards for truckers the Bush administration issued in 2003. In a settlement of a lawsuit brought by Public Citizen, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the agencies agreed to start a new round of rulemaking that could result in reduced hours of service for truckers. (Press release, dated 10/27/09, available at http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2987)

3. CPSC Statement of Policy on Testing and Certification for Lead Content in Children's Products

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published in the Federal Register an announcement of the availability of its Statement of Policy on the Testing and Certification of Lead Content in Children's Products, which is available at: http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/leadpolicy.pdf. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/22/09 news, 09102205, for BP summary of the Policy Statement.) (FR Pub 10/29/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-26080.pdf)

4. CPSC Posts Public Comments on Civil Penalties, Component Testing for CPSIA Phthalates

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted the public comments it has received on its:

Civil Penalty Factors Interim Final Interpretative Rule (September 2009)

Notice of Availability of a Statement of Policy: Testing of Component Parts with Respect to Section 108 of the CPSIA (August 2009)

5. President Continues National Emergency with Respect to Sudan

President Obama is continuing for one year beyond November 3, 2009 the national emergency with respect to Sudan and its Dafur region. (FR Pub 10/29/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-26205.pdf)

6. Locke Comments on U.S.-China JCCT Trade Talks

On October 29, 2009, China and the U.S. began the 20th China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) talks. U.S. Commerce Secretary Locke highlighted the significance of this year's talks, saying, "It was the first JCCT meeting of President Obama's administration and comes a few weeks ahead of President Obama's first visit to China." (News release, dated 10/29/09, available at http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/xw/t623407.htm)

7. WTO Publishes 2009 International Trade Statistics

The World Trade Organization has published its latest annual compilation of international trade statistics. International Trade Statistics 2009 includes the details of merchandise trade by product and trade in commercial services by category. (Notice, dated 10/28/09, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/stat_28oct09_e.htm)

8. EU and U.S. Adopt New Energy Star Criteria for Monitors, Etc.

The European Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have agreed to adopt new ambitious specifications for displays (including monitors) under the EU-U.S. Energy Star Program. The new criteria are effective as of October 29, 2009, and are expected to trigger about 9 TWh electricity savings during the next five years. (Press release, dated 10/29/09, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1652&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)

9. EC Targets Countries for Closer Cooperation in IPR Enforcement

In a recent report, the EC has targeted a number of countries for closer cooperation in the field of Intellectual Property Rights enforcement. The EC states that its report is also a valuable source of information for businesses as they can see where IP rights are infringed, and in which fields. (Press release, posted 10/21/09, available at http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=470)

10. ITA Issues Preliminary AD Determinations on PE Retail Carrier Bags from Indonesia and Vietnam

The International Trade Administration has issued a fact sheet announcing its preliminary affirmative AD duty determinations on polyethylene retail carrier bags from Indonesia and Vietnam, with preliminary AD duty rates ranging from 67.18% to 67.62% for Indonesia, and 52.30% to 76.11% for Vietnam. (Fact sheet, dated 10/28/09, available at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/factsheets/factsheet-indonesia-vietnam-prcb-ad-prelim-102809.pdf)

11. FDA Posts Enforcement Report for October 28th

The Food and Drug Administration has posted its Enforcement Report for the week of October 28, 2009. The report contains information on actions taken in connection with agency regulatory activities. (Report, dated 10/28/09, available at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/ucm188298.htm)

12. Travel Restrictions Imposed on Members of Guinea Military Junta, Gov't

The State Department has announced that on October 23, 2009, the U.S. imposed restrictions on travel to the U.S. by certain members of the military junta and the government, as well as other individuals who support policies or actions that undermine the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Guinea. (Press release, dated 10/29/09, available at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/oct/131047.htm.

13. Foreign-Trade Zones Board Actions and Notices

FTZ 25. Application for Subzone: Port Everglades, FL

FTZ 114. Order to Reorganize/Expand: Peoria, IL

FTZ 17. Kansas City, KS; Application for Reorganization/Expansion Under Alternative Site Framework

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:

Fruit Juices and Fruit Juice Concentrates Due to Heavy Metal Contamination

Food Products Due to the Presence of Melamine and/or Melamine Analogs

Food Products Due to the Presence of Salmonella

Processed Foods for Pesticides

Manufacturers of Low Acid Canned Foods and Acidified Foods

Surgeon's and Patient Examination Gloves

Surgical Instruments

Unapproved New Drugs Promoted in The U.S.

Imported Soft Cheese and Soft Ripened Cheese from France

15. 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/prereloct09.html)

16. Agency Seeks Comments on Information Collections

Various U.S. government agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget approval or extension of approval (see notices for specific details):

Agency Information Collection Comments Due

(Information collection notices are hyperlinked to agency name.)