Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) has reported that Senators Schumer and Graham have asked the Senate leadership to schedule a vote on their bill that would impose a 27.5% punitive duty on imports of Chinese-made goods (S. 295) before the Senate's recess at the end of September 2006. (See ITT's Online Archives or 07/08/05 news, 05070805, for previous BP summary of S. 295.) (USA-ITA memo, dated 09/20/06, www.usaita.com.)
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1. Senate May Soon Vote on Bill to Impose Punitive Duties on China Imports
2. WSC Does Not Expect Port Security Bill to Become Law Before Elections
Shippers' NewsWire reports that World Shipping Council President Christopher Koch has opined that port and cargo security legislation (H.R. 4954) recently passed by the Senate is not likely to be signed into law before the November 2006 congressional elections. Koch notes that the legislation must still go to a House-Senate conference to resolve differences between the two versions, and there is little time remaining before Congress returns home to campaign. (SNW dated 09/20/06, www.americanshipper.com.)
3. Senate Approves U.S.-Uruguay Bilateral Investment Treaty
The Washington File reports that on September 12, 2006 the Senate approved the U-S.-Uruguay Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) that was signed by the two countries on November 4, 2005. According to the report, the BIT will benefit the economies of both countries, is an important step toward closer economic cooperation between the two nations, and reflects the U.S.' commitment to explore and expand economic opportunities in the Western Hemisphere. (Washington File Pub 09/14/06, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=September&x=20060914174458ASrelliM0.3449365)
4. U.S. and Mauritius Sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. and Mauritius have signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) aimed at strengthening and expanding trade ties between the two countries. According to the press release, the TIFA will provide a formal mechanism to address bilateral trade issues and will help enhance trade and investment relations between the U.S. and Mauritius. (USTR press release, dated 09/18/06, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2006/September/United_States_Mauritius_Sign_Agreement_to_Strengthen_Exp_Trade_Relations.html)
5. ITA Issues Results of Investigations on Violations of Protective Orders
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice in the Federal Register which summarizes the results of a number of investigations completed in recent months into charges that the terms of administrative protective orders issued in connection with antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty proceedings have been violated. (FR Pub 09/19/06, available athttp://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-15552.pdf)
6. EU Posts Various Notices to its Web Site
The European Union (EU) has posted the following notices to its Web site:
EU-U.S. Action Strategy for the Enforcement of IPR. The EU has posted the text of an agreement between the U.S. and EU concerning improved enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR). (EU-U.S. Action Strategy, undated, available at http://www.eurunion.org/partner/summit/Summit06212006/2006EUUSSummitIntellProp.pdfsearch=%22eu%20u.s.%20action%20strategy%20for%20the%20enforcement%20of%20intellectual%20property%20rights%22)
Preferential Trade in the UE- Making Trade Policy Work for Development. The EU has posted a report on EU market access for developing countries and the potential for preference erosion. (EU Report, dated May 2006, available at http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/may/tradoc_128863.pdf)
2006 EU-U.S. Summit Progress Report on the Economic Initiative. The EU has posted the text of a progress report from its June 2006 summit with the U.S., which launched an initiative to enhance transatlantic economic integration and growth. (EU report, undated, available at http://www.eurunion.org/partner/summit/Summit06212006/2006EUUSSummitEcoInitProg.doc)
7. FMC Lists OTI Revocations and Applications
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued two notices that either revoke OTI licenses, or list those applying for OTI licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), or ocean freight forwarder (FF), as follows:
FMC notice (FR Pub (09/06/06) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-14720.pdf)