Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. 85% of U.S. Congressional Districts Increased Exports to China in 2008

2. DOT's Freight Transportation Services Index Falls in April

The Department of Transportation's Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI): Freight Index fell 1.2 percent in April from March, declining for the second consecutive month to the lowest level in seven years, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported. The index measures month-to-month changes in the output of services provided by the for-hire freight transportation industries and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight. (Report, dated 06/10/09, available at http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2009/bts028_09/pdf/bts028_09.pdf)

3. WTO Panel Meeting on U.S.-EC IT Products Dispute Open to Public

At the request of the parties in the dispute "European Communities and its Member States - Tariff Treatment of Certain information Technology Products" the Panel has agreed that part of its second meeting with the parties on 9 July 2009 should be open for public viewing at the WTO Headquarters in Geneva. (Notice, dated 06/11/09, availableat http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/hear_ds375_376_377_11jun09_e.htm)

4. CBSA Posts Amendments to its Customs Tariff 2009

Canada Border Services Agency has posted amendments to its Customs Tariff 2009. (Amendments, available at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2009/mod-sum-eng.htmlt4)

5. Updated TTB Applications to Import Processed Tobacco Due June 30

The Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau has announced that applications for permits to import processed tobacco, as required by the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (enacted February 4, 2009) are due by June 30, 2009. Under a transitional rule, an importer of processed tobacco on April 1, 2009, who submits an updated TTB F 5230.4 application form (previous versions are superseded and may not be used.) to TTB on or before June 30, 2009, may continue in that business pending final action by TTB on the permit application. (Notice, available at http://www.ttb.treas.gov/forms/app-forms-available.shtml)

6. Chicago to Send Out FY 2009 Report Cards for Brokers/Filers

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Port of Chicago has issued a Pipeline announcing that it will hand out the fiscal year report cards for certain brokers and or filers on June 17, 2009. (Pipeline 09-13, dated 06/11/09, available via email by sending a request to documents@brokerpower.com)

7. USTR Statement on New Zealand WTO Trade Policy Review

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has posted the statement of Deputy Chief of Mission Shark on the WTO Trade Policy Review of New Zealand. (Statement, dated 06/10/09, available at http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/press-releases/2009/june/us-statement-deputy-chief-mission-david-shark-wto-tra)

8. U.S., Mongolia to Negotiate Transparency Agreement

The Office of the USTR has issued a press release announcing that the USTR Kirk and Mongolia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Batbold announced the launch of negotiations for a U.S.-Mongolia Transparency Agreement. In their discussions, the officials noted the importance of transparency with regard to trade and investment policies and practices, etc. (Press Release, dated 06/11/09, available at http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/press-releases/2009/june/us-mongolia-announce-launch-negotiations-transparency)

9. National Emergency Regarding Belarus Continued

On June 12, 2009, the President transmitted to Congress a notice stating that the national emergency with respect to Belarus is to continue in effect beyond June 16, 2009. (Transmittal, dated 06/12/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Message-from-the-President-and-Notice-of-Continuation-regarding-Belarus/.)

10. Comparison of UN Sanctions Resolutions Against North Korea

The State Department has issued a press release which outlines the major provisions of North Korea Sanctions Resolutions 1718 and 1874. (Press release, dated 06/12/09, available at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/06a/124709.htm.)

11. Defendant Sentenced for Exporting Military Aircraft Parts to Iran

The Department of Justice announced that Traian Bujduveanu was sentenced in federal court to 35 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy to illegally export parts for the F-14 Fighter Jet, the Cobra AH-1 Attack Helicopter and the CH-53A Military Helicopter to Iran, through his Plantation, Fla., corporation, Orion Aviation. (Notice, dated 06/11/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/June/09-nsd-578.html)

12. APHIS Evaluation on H5N1 Status of Saxony, Germany

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a notice announcing that it has prepared an evaluation of the animal health status of Saxony, Germany, relative to the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Comments are due by July 13, 2009. (D/N APHIS-2008-0121, FR Pub 06/12/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-13840.pdf)

13. FAS Global Agriculture Information Network Reports

The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN reports:

Hong Kong Market Development Reports: Hong Kong Imports of U.S. Wine Expected to Set New Record

14. Ex-Im Bank Determination That Laos is Not a Marxist-Leninist Country

On June 12, 2009, the President issued a determination that pursuant to the authority of section 2(b)(C) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, as amended (12 U.S.C. 635(b)(2)(C)), he has determined that The Lao People's Democratic Republic has ceased to be a Marxist-Leninist country within the definition of such term in section 2(b)(2)(B)(i) of that Act. (Presidential Determination 2009-21, dated 06/12/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Memorandums-from-the-President-regarding-Cambodia-and-Laos/.)

15. OFAC Sanctions Drug Trafficker's Illicit Network in Mexico, Colombia

On June 12, 2009, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 15 entities and nine individuals as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) pursuant to Executive Order 12978. The OFAC designations target the illicit activities and assets of Fabio Enrique Ochoa Vasco (a.k.a. "Juan Carlos Martinez Perez"), a significant Colombian drug trafficker, who was designated as an SDNT principal in 2007. This designation action freezes any assets the designees may have that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits all financial and commercial transactions by any U.S. person with the designated companies and individuals. (Treasury press release TG-169, dated 06/12/09, available at http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/tg169.htm.)

16. OPIC Offers Workshops for Minorities and Women on Investing in Overseas Businesses

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation is offering two workshops for minority and women-owned businesses on making direct investments in business operations abroad, called, "Expanding Horizons A Workshop About Investing Overseas for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses," to place in Boston on September 24, 2009, and in St. Louis on October 22, 2009. (Notice, available at http://www.opic.gov/news/events/documents/opic_expanding_horizons_workshops_09_stdc.pdf)

17. CPSC Lists Voluntary Recall

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published notice of the following voluntary recall:

(CPSC recall available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prereljun09.html)

18. CBP Cancels Customs Broker Licenses Without Prejudice

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is announcing that the following Customs broker licenses, as well as any and all permits, have been cancelled without prejudice:

(FR Pub 06/12/09 available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-13835.pdf)