Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
American Shipper's Shippers' NewsWire reports that a trade association has condemned a deal worked out last week between the Bush administration and two senators who have held up legislation to grant Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to Vietnam. In exchange for the senators' removal of their hold, the Bush administration will work to ensure that the U.S. textile industry is not harmed when Vietnam joins the WTO, by for example, considering self-initiating an antidumping (AD) case for garments. (The U.S. must remove its quotas on Vietnamese textiles and apparel when Vietnam joins the WTO if PNTR has been granted to Vietnam, among other things). (AS, dated 10/02/06, www.americanshipper.com )
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1. Senators Lift Hold on Vietnam PNTR in Exchange for Certain Help Against Vietnamese Garment Imports
2. U.S. Welcomes 2007 Entry of Romania & Bulgaria into the EU
The Washington File reports that the U.S. welcomes the European Commission's (EC's) approval of the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the European Union (EU) on January 1, 2007. (Washington File Pub 09/26/06, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=September&x=20060926182728btruevecer0.3317682)
3. U.S., Korea Preparing for 4th Round of FTA Negotiations
The Washington File reports that the U.S. and Korea are preparing for a fourth round of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations during the week of October 23, 2006 on Jeju Island, South Korea. Confidence among public officials about the prospects for a U.S.-Korea FTA is at a high point, although much work remains to be done. (Washington File Pub 09/28/06, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=September&x=20060928151619ASesuarK0.2929651)
4. DHS Awards Contracts for Advanced Pocket Sized Radiation Detectors
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office has issued a press release announcing the award of Intelligent Personal Radiation Locator (IPRL) program contracts to three facilities for the development and testing of advanced pocket sized radiation detection prototypes. According to the press release, the IPRL program serves to develop technologies that autonomously detect the source of radiation and reliably discriminate between normally-occurring radioactive materials, background, and potential threats. (DHS press release, dated 09/28/06, available at http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=5952)
5. National Organic Standards Board Meeting on October 17-19, 2006
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced a meeting of the National Organic Standards Board on October 17-19, 2006 in Arlington, VA. Requests from individuals and organizations to make an oral presentation at the meeting or to submit written comments to be posted on the AMS Web site prior to the meeting must be submitted by the close of business on October 6, 2006. (AMS notice, D/N TM-06-11, FR Pub 10/02/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-8419.pdf)
6. ITA Receives Application for Export Trade Certificate of Review
The International Trade Administration's (ITA's) Office of Export Trading Company Affairs (OETCA) has issued a notice stating that it has received an application from Darah Thomas dba Necole Shannon Global Export Service (NSGES) for an Export Trade Certificate of Review, which, if granted, will protect the applicant and members identified in the Certificate from specific antitrust actions. Written comments should be submitted no later than 20 days after September 27, 2006. (FR Pub 09/27/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-8264.pdf)
7. ITA Quarterly Update to Annual List of Foreign Subsidies on Cheese Subject to an In-Quota Rate of Duty
The International Trade Administration (ITA), in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, has provided its quarterly update of subsidies on articles of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty that were imported during the period April 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006. The ITA provides an appendix to its notice which lists the country, the subsidy program(s), and the gross and net amounts of each subsidy for which information is currently available. (FR Pub 09/27/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-15860.pdf)
8. FMC Lists OTI Revocations and Applications
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued four notices that either reissue ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses, revoke OTI licenses, list a rescission of order of revocations, or list those applying for OTI licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) and/ or an ocean freight forwarder (FF), as follows:
| Trade Docs International L.L.C., dba Sea King Forwarding (NY) |
FMC notice (reissuances) (FR Pub 09/27/06) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-15885.pdf
FMC notice (revocations) (FR Pub 09/27/06) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-15881.pdf
FMC notice (applications) (FR Pub 09/27/06) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-15878.pdf