According to a White House press briefing, on April 13, 2009, the President directed the Secretaries of State, Treasury and Commerce to carry out the actions necessary to lift all restrictions on the ability of individuals to visit family members in Cuba, and to send them remittances.
The U.S. Trade Representative is requesting that those interested in serving as panelists for four separate rosters for Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement dispute settlement panels apply by May 13, 2009. A general roster is required to be established under Chapter Twenty (Dispute Settlement), Chapter Twelve (Financial Services), Chapter Sixteen (Labor), and Chapter Seventeen (Environment). (FR Pub 04/13/09, Notice available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-8321.pdf)
The European Commission recently adopted a regulation which sets a transitional period from July 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010 during which traders will have the option of submitting electronic entry or exit summary declarations on goods before they enter or leave the European Union. Unanticipated delays have occurred in the implementation process of electronic entry or exit summary declarations so that not all actors will be in a position to submit those declarations by July 1, 2009. During the transitional period, goods not declared in advance will be submitted to risk analysis after arrival or before departure of those goods. The regulation can be found here and here. (Press release, dated 04/02/09, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEX/09/0402&format=HTML&aged=0&language=en&guiLanguage=en)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has announced it is sponsoring its first International Trade Symposium designed to provide the international trade community with insight and perspective from top officials on compliance, enforcement and licensing issues related to U.S. export controls.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has announced its first Annual Symposium for International Trade to take place in Washington, DC on May 15, 2009 designed to provide the international trade community with insight and perspective from top officials on compliance, enforcement and licensing issues related to U.S. export controls. (OFAC notice available at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/events/symp_flyer_040109.pdf)
During his announcement of a new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the President called on Congress to pass a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Representatives Cantwell, Van Hollen and Hoekstra that creates opportunity zones in the border regions to develop the economy and bring hope to places plagued with violence. See future issue of ITT for additional details on this legislation. (Press release, dated 03/27/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-a-New-Strategy-for-Afghanistan-and-Pakistan/.)
The State Department has posted remarks made by Mexico's Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State Clinton during Clinton's recent visit to Mexico. Mexico's Foreign Minister noted that the U.S. and Mexico are working together to accomplish conditions that allow for full compliance with NAFTA, including the topic of motor transportation. During the press conference, Secretary Clinton noted that the Administration has set aside $720 million for modernizing border crossings. (Transcript, dated 03/25/09, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/03/120905.htm.)
The White House has posted remarks by the Vice President at the swearing-in of former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk as U.S. Trade Representative on March 20, 2009. In his remarks, the Vice President emphasized that the USTR's mission is to blaze a trail beyond our borders and come up with innovative ways for our trade policies to inspire a new environment of basic fairness. (Vice President's remarks, dated 03/20/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-Vice-President-Biden-at-the-Swearing-in-of-United-States-Representative-Ron-Kirk/.
Senator Robert Menendez (D) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano expressing concern about her testimony which doubted the Department of Homeland Security would be able to meet the Congressionally-mandated July 2012 deadline for 100% scanning. Menendez urges the DHS Secretary to do everything she can to either ensure the July 2012 deadline is fully met or that significant progress towards fulfilling the mandate is achieved. (Menendez press release and letter available at http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=309058)
In his weekly address, President Barack Obama announced the appointment of Dr. Margaret Hamburg as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, as well as the creation of a new Food Safety Working Group to coordinate with agencies and senior officials to advise the President on improving coordination throughout the government, examining and upgrading food safety laws, and enforcing laws that will keep the American people safe. In addition, the President also announced that the Department of Agriculture will close a loophole to prevent diseased cows from entering the food supply and the government will invest in the FDA to substantially increase the number of food inspectors and modernize food safety labs. (White House statement, dated 03/14/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Weekly-Address-President-Barack-Obama-Announces-Key-FDA-Appointments-and-Tougher-Food-Safety-Measures/.)