Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. CBP Says Counterfeit Imports Are Flooding Los Angeles-Long Beach Port

2. GAO Finds DHS Needs to Address Significant Information Security Issues in US-VISIT Program

The Government Accountability Office has issued a report to congressional requesters regarding the immediate need for the Department of Homeland Security to address information security weaknesses in systems supporting the U.S.-Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program. The report found that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) did not fully characterize the risks facing critical systems, sufficiently test and evaluate security controls, adequately implement incident detection and handling procedures, consistently address privacy issues, etc. The GAO states that until DHS and CBP act to mitigate the weaknesses, limited assurance exists that the US-VISIT program will achieve its goal of enhancing the security of U.S. citizens and its visitors. (GAO-07-870, dated July 2007, available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07870.pdf)

3. USDA to Require Pasteurization of CA Almonds Effective September 1st

According to American Shipper, despite vehement opposition by California growers, a new U.S. Department of Agriculture rule requiring all California almonds to be pasteurized will go into effect September 1, 2007. Growers, represented by the California Almond Board (CAB), were requesting a six-month delay in the rule to allow more time to put required equipment and processes in place. (AS, dated 08/21/07, www.americanshipper.com; Final rule, D/N FV06-981-1 FR, FR Pub 03/30/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-1557.pdf)

4. WCO UCR Correspondence Group to Meet October 2-3 in Brussels

The World Customs Organization has posted a notice to its Web site announcing that the Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) Correspondence Group will hold a meeting at WCO Headquarters in Brussels on October 2-3, 2007. The program for the meeting includes a review of current WCO Resolution and Implementation Guidelines, a review of current projects, consideration of best-practice industry procedure, etc. (WCO notice available at http://events.wcoomd.org/files/PDFs/UCRCGMeetingAug07EventsWebsitev0.pdf)

5. President Continues National Emergency in Light of Expiration of EAA

The President has issued a notice continuing the national emergency regarding export control regulations in light of the expiration of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended. The notice states that because the EAA has not been renewed by Congress, the national emergency is being continued for 1 year beyond August 17, 2007. (FR Pub 08/16/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-4055.pdf)

6. BIS Issues May 2007 Report on Export Control, Antiboycott Violations

The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a May 2007 report entitled Don't Let This Happen to You!: Actual Investigations of Export Control and Antiboycott Violations, which contains, among other things, criminal and administrative case examples of violations of export license requirements, deemed exports, transshipment and re-exports, etc. (May 2007 edition, available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/ComplianceAndEnforcement/DontLetThisHappenToYou2007_sm.pdf)

7. OFAC Blocks Property of 46 Individuals Under Drug Trafficking EO

The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a notice publishing the names of 46 newly-designated individuals and entities whose property and interests in property are blocked, effective August 15, 2007, pursuant to Executive Order 12978, "Blocking Assets and Prohibiting Transactions with Significant Narcotics Traffickers," and publishing changes to the identifying information associated with three persons previously designated. (FR Pub 08/21/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-16374.pdf)

8. FDA Safe Handling Instructions for Shell Eggs Can Appear on Inside of Lid

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a final rule, effective August 20, 2007, amending its its food labeling regulations to permit the egg industry to place the safe handling statement for shell eggs on the inside lid of egg cartons if the statement ''Keep Refrigerated'' appears on the principal display panel (PDP) or information panel. FDA states that this action, which is in response to numerous requests from the egg industry, will provide the industry greater flexibility in the placement of safe handling instructions on egg cartons, while continuing to provide consumers with this important information. (D/N 2004N-0382, FR Pub 08/20/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-16272.pdf)

9. Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee to Meet

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee will be holding a closed meeting on August 27-29, 2007 in Newport, RI to, among other things, discuss the identification and location of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) based on experiences in other countries and their applicability to U.S. homeland situations, etc. (DHS notice, D/N DHS-2007-0059, FR Pub 08/13/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-15821.pdf.)

10. FDA Meeting to Prepare for Int'l Meeting on Cosmetics Regulations

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will be holding a meeting entitled "Preparation for International Cooperation on Cosmetics Regulations Meeting in Brussels, Belgium" on August 28, 2007 in Rockville, MD. The purpose of this meeting is to solicit public input prior to the first meeting of this group in Brussels on September 27, 2007. (FDA notice, D/N 2007N-0313, FR Pub 08/13/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-3954.pdf.)

11. Foreign-Trade Zones Board Actions

The FTZB has issued the following notice of recent FTZ actions:

12. FMC Lists OTI Applications

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice that lists those applying for OTI licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:

FMC notice (FR Pub 07/18/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-13939.pdf