Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
Representative Ken Calvert has issued a press release announcing the introduction on January 23, 2008 of "Our Nation's Trade, Infrastructure, Mobility, and Efficiency Act of 2007" (H.R. 5102) in order to ease congestion in areas impacted by goods movements. Among other things, the legislation would impose a fee on each article that is imported into the U.S. that would be the lesser of: (i) .075% of the value of the article or (ii) $500. (Press release, dated 01/23/08, available at http://calvert.house.gov/. and H.R. 5102 available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h5102ih.txt.pdf)
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1. New Legislation Would Impose Fee on Imports to Relieve Congestion
2. Study of Proposed Washington State Container Fee Delayed
The Journal of Commerce reports that a Washington state study on a controversial proposal to impose a $50-per-TEU fee on containers moving through its state ports has been delayed. (JoC, dated 01/16/08, www.joc.com)
3. China Says Inspections, Enforcement Have Made its Seafood Safer
The New York Times reports that according to the Chinese Agriculture Ministry, last year, more than 30,000 Chinese inspectors worked to close seafood operations and enforce regulations against the use of banned antibiotics which have been linked to cancer in laboratory tests, making Chinese seafood safer. (New York Times, dated 01/18/08, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/business/worldbusiness/18fish.html)
4. EC Introduces Plan to Regulate New Hazards Associated with Toy Safety
The Parliament reports that the European Commission has released its plans to further regulate toy safety in the wake of toy recalls by regulating new hazards such as chemicals, manufacturers' and importers' liability and market surveillance in member states. (The Parliament, dated 01/25/08, available at http://www.theparliament.com/EN/News/200801/5d15b262-d806-4640-942a-3b5d8c41f9d4.htm)
5. OFAC Designates 6 Individuals, 1 Entity Under Kingpin Act
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a notice publishing the names of one additional entity and six additional individuals whose property and interests in property have been blocked, effective January 15, 2008, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. (OFAC notice, FR Pub 01/23/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-1041.pdf)
6. State Dept. Receives Application to Construct a Border Crossing Facility at San Diego/Tijuana
The State Department has issued a notice announcing that it received an application from the California Department of Transportation for a Presidential Permit to authorize the construction, operation, and maintenance of a new border crossing facility on the U.S.-Mexico border at San Diego, California and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The new crossing would be approximately two miles east of the current Otay Mesa port of entry, and would connect to existing roads via a proposed new State highway. Comments should be submitted on or before April 23, 2008. (Public Notice 6067, FR Pub 01/24/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-1217.pdf)
7. NHTSA Proposes to Amend its Tire Registration, Recordkeeping Regs
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a proposed rule to amend its regulation for tire identification and recordkeeping by codifying existing interpretations regarding opportunities under the regulation for electronic registration of tire sales and leases and by creating new opportunities. Comments must be received on or before March 24, 2008. (FR Pub 01/24/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-1099.pdf)
8. FAS Reports on China Nutrition Labeling Regulation and U.S./China Export Certificate Agreement
The Foreign Agricultural Service has issued two attach reports which respectively state that: (1) China recently published a second draft food nutrition labeling regulation containing changes that would impact domestic and foreign manufacturers; and (2) December 20, 2007 marked the historic signing ceremony between the state of Oregon and the China Certification and Inspection Group Zhuhai Branch, South China Agricultural University and Zhuhai Peace Company to enable both U.S. and China to issue reciprocal advisory export certificates based on the other's food product laws and standards. (Attach reports, released 01/23/08 and 01/24/08, respectively, available by query at http://www.fas.usda.gov/cots/attache.html)