The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a notice announcing that it has prepared an evaluation of the animal health status of Suffolk and Norfolk Counties, England, relative to the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Comments are due by June 8, 2009. APHIS press release available here. (D/N APHIS-2009-0015, FR Pub 05/07/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-10630.pdf)
The State Department has posted a transcript of comments made by Secretary of State Clinton, as well as the Presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan at the U.S.-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Consultations II recently held in Washington, DC. According to the remarks, Afghanistan and Pakistan were to sign a Memorandum of Understanding committing their countries to achieving a trade transit agreement by the end of 2009. (Remarks, dated 05/06/09, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/05/122706.htm.
The Government Accountability Office has issued a report and agency comments on its review and oral briefing for the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on the Department of Homeland Security's fiscal year 2009 expenditure plan for the Secure Border Initiative (SBI). Approval of SBI's expenditure plan by these committees was required before DHS could obligate $400 million of the approximately $775 million appropriated for U.S. Customs and Border Protection fencing, infrastructure, and technology. (GAO report summary, dated 04/30/09, available at http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-274R)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective April 13, 2009, to carry out the purposes of Executive Order 13382, ''Blocking Property of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters" under which sanctions have been in place since June 29, 2005.
On April 28, 2009 China and Peru signed a free trade agreement in Beijing. The agreement is the first FTA package China has signed with a Latin American country. (Notice, dated 04/28/09, available at http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/6647262.html)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective April 13, 2009, to carry out the purposes of Executive Order 13396, ''Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in Cte d'Ivoire" under which sanctions have been in place since February 8, 2006.
The World Trade Organization has issued a compliance panel report examining the implementation measures by the U.S. in the dispute "U.S.-Measures Relating to Zeroing and Sunset Reviews" (DS322) brought by Japan. (See future issue of ITT for details.)(Report, dated 04/24/09, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/322rw_e.htm)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a proposed rule to allow, under certain conditions, the importation of commercial shipments of fresh papaya from Colombia and Ecuador into the continental U.S. The conditions for the importation of papayas from Colombia and Ecuador include requirements for approved production locations, procedures for packing and shipping, etc. Written comments are due by June 22, 2009. APHIS' press release on the proposed rule is available here. (D/N APHIS-2008-0050, FR Pub 04/21/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-9100.pdf)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted the remarks of USDA Secretary Vilsack at the recent G8 Agricultural Ministerial meeting. Among other things, Vilsack stated, "A successful conclusion to the World Trade Organization's Doha Development Round would reduce and eliminate tariffs and other barriers, as well as market-distorting subsidies for agricultural goods. We strongly encourage countries to lift trade-restrictive policy measures, such as export restrictions." (Remarks, dated 04/18/09, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/04/0117.xml.)
Canadian Prime Minister Harper has announced a new initiative to use the International Airport in Winnipeg Canada and surrounding land as a hub to import goods from Asia and Europe and then distribute those goods throughout North America by air, rail and road. The governments of Canada and Manitoba are jointly funding the next phase of this project, which involves building a high-speed transportation corridor. (Notice, dated 04/14/09, available at http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=2521)