The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective May 28, 2009, to amend its regulations for Executive Order 13400, "Blocking Property of Certain Persons in Connection With the Conflict in Sudan's Darfur Region," under which sanctions have been in place since April 27, 2006.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a technical amendment to an interim final rule in order to change the effective date for replacement of the current Guam Visa Waiver Program with a new Guam-Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program and the establishment of six ports of entry in the CNMI to November 28, 2009 (from June 1, 2009). (D/N USCBP-2009-0001; CBP Dec. No. 09-14, FR Pub 05/28/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-12345.pdf)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective May 28, 2009, to amend its regulations for Executive Order 13413, "Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo," under which sanctions have been in place since October 30, 2006.
The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and the Canadian Public Safety Minister issued a joint statement during their meeting at the U.S.-Canada border. The joint statement addresses the Canada-U.S. Framework for the Movement of Goods and People Across the Border During and Following an Emergency. (DHS press release, including link to framework, dated 05/27/09, available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1243434829897.shtm.)
On May 20, the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus unveiled its 2009 International Piracy Watch List, announcing it will closely monitor copyright piracy in Canada, China, Mexico, Russia, and Spain. According to the caucus, these countries stand out because of the scope and depth of their piracy problems, which cost the U.S. copyright industries and the millions of Americans who work in these companies more than $25 billion each year. (Caucus press release, dated 05/20/09, available at http://schiff.house.gov/antipiracycaucus/pdf/2009pressrelease.pdf and Caucus 2009 Country Watch List available at http://schiff.house.gov/antipiracycaucus/pdf/IAPC_2009_Watch_List.pdf)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Port of Los Angeles has issued a Public Bulletin informing the general aviation community of a change in procedure that will require all private aircraft to report to a single CBP approved General Aviation Facility (GAF) upon landing from abroad at Los Angeles International Airport. (LA09-017 is available via email by sending a request to documents@brokerpower.com)
The International Trade Administration has announced the Commerce Department's successful culmination of its efforts to ensure extension of both non-metric and metric labeling provisions on product packaging for U.S. businesses exporting to the European Union. The ruling will allow U.S. firms to use non-metric units on packaging and extends the current dual-labeling provisions indefinitely. The rule was published on May 7, 2009 in the Official Journal of the European Union and will be fully in force in the 27 member states by January 1, 2010. (Notice, dated 05/15/09, available at http://www.trade.gov/press/press_releases/2009/EULabeling_051509.asp)
The Foreign Trade Zones Board is requesting public comment by July 14, 2009, on a staff proposal to revise the format of annual reports that are submitted by zone grantees to the Foreign Trade Zones Board. The revisions are intended to clarify the information that is being requested and focus on the information that is most important for oversight of the FTZ program. (FR Pub 05/15/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-11421.pdf)
The Census Bureau reports that the U.S. international deficit in goods and services increased to $27.6 billion in March from $26.1 billion (revised) in February, as exports decreased more than imports. USTR Kirk's statement on the March 2009 trade data is available here. (Notice, dated 05/12/09, available at http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/press.html)
The Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission were scheduled to vote by May 13th on a CPSC staff recommendation to adopt the most recent (2008) revision to the ASTM F963 toy standard as a mandatory consumer product safety standard, with certain exceptions. (The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) made the 2007 version of the toy standard, and any successor standards (unless objected by CPSC) a mandatory safety standard.) (CPSC ballot vote sheet with staff recommendation (dated 05/11/09) available at http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia09/brief/ASTMF963-07.pdf)