U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site the December 2005 issue of its Modernization Monthly newsletter, which discusses, among other things, new Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) capabilities coming in 2006 and 2007.
Wireless Spectrum Auctions
The FCC manages and licenses the electromagnetic spectrum used by wireless, broadcast, satellite and other telecommunications services for government and commercial users. This activity includes organizing specific telecommunications modes to only use specific frequencies and maintaining the licensing systems for each frequency such that communications services and devices using different bands receive as little interference as possible.
What are spectrum auctions?
The FCC will periodically hold auctions of unused or newly available spectrum frequencies, in which potential licensees can bid to acquire the rights to use a specific frequency for a specific purpose. As an example, over the last few years the U.S. government has conducted periodic auctions of different GHz bands to support the growth of 5G services.
Latest spectrum auction news
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) Broker Management office has posted to the CBP Web site a notice which outlines various broker license and permit-related fees. The broker license and permit-related fees discussed in this notice are as follows:
According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has issued a circular to its local departments of commerce announcing the first allocation of quantity for the export of textiles to the U.S. in 2006.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a notice on its Web site , entitled Notice of Examination for April 2006, which announces that the next Customs Broker License Examination will be held on Monday, April 3, 2006.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently issued a notice advising Customs brokers that the Triennial Status Report and associated fee of $100 for each license held by a broker whether it may be an individual, partnership, association, or corporation, are due during the month of February 2006 (i.e. by February 28, 2006).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a general notice to advise Customs brokers that the Triennial Status Report Fee of $100 that is assessed for each license held by a broker whether it may be an individual, partnership, association, or corporation, is due during the month of February 2006 (i.e. by February 28, 2006) along with the corresponding status report.
According to a Textile Development Memo issued by the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA), CITA officials have advised that the U.S. will meet with China's negotiating team in Washington D.C. beginning Monday, October 31, 2005 for another round of formal negotiations aimed at reaching a bilateral textile agreement. (TDM, dated 10/28/05, www.usaita.com )
CBP has posted to its Web site revised and slightly reformatted Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) online applications for (1) U.S./Mexico highway carriers; (2) U.S./Canada highway carriers; and (3) licensed customs brokers.
The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice stating that the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business (ITAC-11) will hold a meeting on October 3, 2005 in Greensboro, NC to discuss topics regarding the North Carolina Trade Policy update, small business development etc. (USTR notice, FR Pub 09/21/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-18822.pdf
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site notice that the fiscal year (FY) 2006 global refined and specialty sugar "low duty" tariff rate quota (TRQ) provided for in HTS Chapter 17, Additional U.S. Note (AUSN) 5, did not fill at opening moment on September 8, 2005. (This quota would normally have opened on October 1, 2005, but opened early due to supply shortages caused by Hurricane Katrina.)