Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. Enhanced Driver's License Now Available to Canadian British Columbians for Land/Water Entry Into U.S.

2. TSA Announces TWIC Enrollment Center Closings April 10th

The Transportation Security Administration has posted a Transportation Worker Identification Credential update stating that the following Enrollment Centers are closed Friday, April 10, 2009, in observance of Good Friday: Baton Rouge, Brownsville, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Point Comfort, Ponce, San Juan, and St. Thomas. (TWIC update, dated 04/07/09, available at http://twicinformation.tsa.dhs.gov/twicinfo/index.jsp)

3. FAS Reports on China's Ongoing Agricultural Modernization

The Foreign Agricultural Service has issued a report entitled, "China's Ongoing Agricultural Modernization: Challenges Remain After 30 Years of Reform." The report provides an overview of current issues in China's agricultural development, policy responses to these issues, and assesses the effects of these policies on China's growing role in international markets. (Report, dated 04/09, available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB51/)

4. Treasury Designates Iranian Proliferation Network, Etc.

The Treasury Department has designated one Chinese individual and six Iranian entities under Executive Order 13382 for their connection to Iran's missile proliferation network. Additionally, Treasury identified eight aliases used by E.O. 13382 designee LIMMT Economic and Trade Company, Ltd. to circumvent sanctions. E.O. 13382 is an authority aimed at freezing the assets of weapons of mass destruction proliferators and those who support them. The Office of Foreign Assets Control has also updated its Specially Designated Nationals List. (Treasury press release, dated 04/07/09, available at http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/tg84.htm)

5. DOT Proposes Antitrust Immunity for Continental Airlines

The Department of Transportation has proposed to grant antitrust immunity to Continental Airlines for its participation in the Star Alliance, and to approve a new joint venture among four of the alliance's members. Antitrust immunity allows airlines to coordinate their services and act as a single carrier for international air services covered by the immunity. (DOT press release, dated 04/07/09, available at http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot4209.htm)

6. USDA Secretary Vilsack to Attend G8 Meeting on Food Security

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack will attend the Group of Eight (G8) Agricultural Ministerial in Treviso, Italy, April 18-20 to work with other agriculture ministers in developing a shared strategy to deal with food security issues. (Release No. 0089.09, dated 04/06/09, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/04/0089.xml)

7. FAS Report Says World Wine Production/Trade Expected to Contract Slightly in 2009

The Foreign Agricultural Services has issued a Market and Trade Data report for wine which states that world wine production and trade are expected to contract slightly in 2009. (Report, dated April 2009, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp/2009_4_2%20Wine%20Article.pdf)

8. Florida Firm Pleads Guilty to Violating Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

The Justice Department reports that Latin Node Inc., a privately held Florida corporation, pleaded guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with improper payments in Honduras and Yemen. As part of the plea agreement, Latinode agreed to pay a $2 million fine during a three-year period. (Press release, dated 04/07/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/April/09-crm-318.html)

9. Physicist Receives Prison Sentence for Illegally Exporting Space Launch Data to China and Bribery

The Justice Department reports that a physicist in Newport News, Virginia, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for illegally exporting space launch technical data and defense services to China and offering bribes to Chinese government officials. (Press release, dated 04/07/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/April/09-nsd-317.html)

10. Iranian National Arrested/Charged in Conspiracy to Export Military Aircraft Parts to Iran

The Justice Department announced that an Iranian national has been arrested and charged, along with ten other defendants, with participating in a conspiracy to export U.S.-made military aircraft parts to Iran. (Press release, dated 04/06/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/April/09-nsd-314.html)

11. CBSA Terminates Undertaking and Proceedings Regarding Certain Filter-Tipped Cigarette Tubes from France

Canada Border Services Agency has concluded its review of the undertaking with respect to filter-tipped cigarette tubes, excluding those which bear the trademark or brand name of a finished or ready-made cigarette, originating in or exported from France. The President of the CBSA has determined that the conditions under which the undertaking was accepted would no longer exist in the absence of the undertaking. Accordingly, the President has terminated the undertaking in accordance with subsection 52(1.2) of SIMA and all proceedings respecting the subject goods have been terminated pursuant to subsection 52(1.3). (Notice, dated 04/06/09, available at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/sima-lmsi/er-rre/rrtubes-u09/rrtubes-u09-nd-eng.html)

12. Irish Company Indicted for Illegal Export of Aircraft Parts to Iran

The Bureau of Industry and Security has announced that an Irish trading company and three of its officers have been charged with purchasing helicopter engines and other aircraft components from U.S. firms and illegally exporting them to Iran using companies in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. Among the alleged recipients of these U.S. goods was an Iranian military firm that has since been designated by the U.S. for being owned or controlled by entities involved in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program. (Press release, dated 03/24/09, available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/news/2009/doj03242009.htm)

13. 3 Men Plead Guilty to Export of Carbon-Fiber Material w/o License

BIS has announced that the last of three men pleaded guilty last week in federal court to exporting and attempting to export from the U.S. to Singapore, Hong Kong and China high-modulus carbon-fiber material without an export license issued by the U.S. Commerce Department in violation of the Export Administration Regulations. (BIS press release, dated 03/23/09, available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/news/2009/doj03232009.htm)

14. EC Pledges 155 Million Euros for Trade Project in Africa

The European Commission has pledged 115 million euros for a project to improve infrastructure and remove regulatory barriers to trade in Eastern and Southern Africa. The North-South Corridor project is being driven by three of Africa's main Regional Economic Communities - the Common Market for Eastern and Southern African (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC). EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton represented the European Commission at a conference on the North-South Corridor in the Zambian capital of Lusaka. Other international partners supporting the project include the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the UK government. (IP/09/547, dated 04/06/09, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/547&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)

15. Energy Conservation Standards for Gas Ranges, Ovens Amended

The Department of Energy has issued a final rule, effective June 8, 2009, which will amend energy conservation standards pertaining to the cooking efficiency of residential gas kitchen ranges and ovens. Compliance with the standards set by the final rule is required on April 9, 2012. (Final rule, FR Pub 04/08/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7545.pdf.)

16. FDA Guidance on Nonsterile Products Available

The Food and Drug Administration has announced the availability of a guidance entitled ''Q4B Evaluation and Recommendation of Pharmacopoeial Texts for Use in the ICH Regions:"

Annex 4A: Microbiological Examination of Nonsterile Products: Microbial Enumeration Tests General Chapter

Annex 4B: Microbiological Examination of Nonsterile Products: Tests for Specified Microorganisms General Chapter.''

Annex 4C: Microbiological Examination of Nonsterile Products: Acceptance Criteria for Pharmaceutical Preparations and Substances for Pharmaceutical Use General Chapter.''

(Notices, FR Pub 04/08/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7902.pdf, http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7873.pdf, and http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7905.pdf.)

17. FDA Guidance on Pharmaceutical Quality System Available

FDA has announced the availability of a guidance entitled ''Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System.'' The guidance describes a model for an effective quality management system for the pharmaceutical industry, referred to as the Pharmaceutical Quality System. (Notice, FR Pub 04/08/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7875.pdf.)

18. 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 04/01/09) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-7313.pdf