Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The European Union (EU) has issued a press release announcing that it has proposed to remove all remaining quota and tariff limitations on access to the EU market for all African, Caribbean and Pacific regions as part of the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations. The offer will apply immediately following the signing of an agreement - with a phase-in period for rice and sugar. The EU states that the only exception will be South Africa where a number of products will continue to pay import duties. (EU press release, dated 04/04/07, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/476&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)
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1. EU Offers Full Market Access to Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Regions
2. U.S. and India Pledge Increased Trade, Form Private Sector Advisory Group
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that USTR Schwab and India's Minister of Commerce and Industry met for bilateral trade talks during the sixth Ministerial-level meeting of the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF). At the meeting, Schwab and India's Minister focused on a number of initiatives to strengthen bilateral trade ties; held in-depth trade policy discussions on tariff and non-tariff barriers, agriculture, investment, services, and intellectual property rights; and announced the formulation of a Private Sector Advisory Group of U.S. and Indian international trade experts who will provide strategic recommendations and insights to the U.S.-India TPF. (USTR press release, dated 04/13/07, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2007/April/US_Trade_Representative_Susan_Schwab_Indias_Minister_of_Commerce_Industry_Kamal_Nath_Pledge_Increased_US_India_Trad.html)
3. APHIS, Canada Begin Implementation of Protocol for Potato Nematodes
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a press release announcing that it and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have developed a joint certification protocol for the potato cyst nematode and golden nematode for all seed potatoes traded between the U.S. and Canada. APHIS states that the initial phase of this protocol was to begin implementation on March 21, 2007. (APHIS press release, dated 03/16/07, available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2007/03/potatopro.shtml)
4. USDA Grants Protection to 17 New Plant Varieties
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued certificates of protection to developers of 17 new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants, including bean, corn, fescue, soybean, tobacco and wheat. AMS states that owners will have the exclusive right to reproduce, sell, import and export their products in the U.S. for the duration of protection. (AMS No. 060-07, dated 04/05/07, available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/news/060-07.htm)
5. CBP Chicago Pipelines on a HTS Error Concerning Special Duty Rate for Mexico, Etc.
CBP at the Port of Chicago has issued the following Pipelines:
Airline-Conducted Security Examinations of In-Bond Cargo (Required by the Transportation Security Administration) (Pipeline 07-18, dated 03/28/07)
HTS Error Concerning Special Duty Rate for Mexico for HTS numbers: 1701.11.5000, 1701.12.5000, 1701.91.3000, 1701.99.5010, and 1701.99.5090 for the period January 1, 2007 through February 2, 2007 (Pipeline 07-17, dated 03/28/07)
(Chicago Pipelines availablefromBP by emailing documents@brokerpower.com.)
6. OFAC Publishes Enforcement Information for April 6, 2007
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a notice announcing the following enforcement information for April 6, 2007:
| Entity/Individual | Penalty | Action/Violation/Alleged Violation |
|---|---|---|
| Datex-Ohmeda, Inc. and Spacelabs Medical Inc. | $66,547 | Exporting medical devices from the U.S. through an entity in the UAE to Iran without authorization |
| Kinecta Federal Credit Union | $3,102 | Initiating a funds transfer destined for a Cuban national without an OFAC license or outside of the scope of its license |
| A.N. Deringer, Inc. | $700 | Exporting goods to Iran without an OFAC license |
| Individual | $820 | Dealing in Cuban-origin cigars, in which Cuba or a Cuban national had an interest |
| Individual | $1,071 | Dealing in Cuban-origin cigars, in which Cuba or a Cuban national had an interest |
(OFAC notice available at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/civpen/penalties/04042007.pdf)