Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
According to multiple press reports, the next Acting Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar. Aguilar has over 30 years of border security experience and was appointed as Chief of the Border Patrol for CBP in 2004.
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1. Next Acting CBP Commissioner Will be Border Patrol Chief Aguilar
2. NCTO Expresses Concern About Including Vietnam in TPP Talks
The National Council of Textile Organizations has issued a press release expressing strong concerns about the Obama Administration's decision to move ahead with free trade talks with Vietnam as part of the Trans- Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks. (Press release, dated 12/15/09, available at http://www.ncto.org/newsroom/pr20091215.pdf.)
3. DHS Highlights its Major Accomplishments in 2009
On December 15, 2009, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Napolitano highlighted DHS' 2009 accomplishments in an address to employees-emphasizing the major steps DHS has taken this year to enhance America's capabilities to guard against terrorism; secure the nation's borders; engage in smart and enforcement of our immigration laws; prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters; and unify and mature the Department and its 230,000-employee global workforce. (Press release, with link to fact sheet, dated 12/15/09, available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1260906632475.shtm.)
4. CPSC/WCSC Announce Voluntary Recall of Millions of Roman Shades
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Window Covering Safety Council have announced a voluntary recall to repair all Roman shades and roll-up blinds to prevent the risk of strangulation to young children. This recall involves millions of Roman and roll-up blinds. (Notice, dated 12/15/09, available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10073.html)
5. FDA Debars Convicted Seafood Importer That Mislabeled Vietnamese Catfish to Avoid AD Duties
The Food and Drug Administration has announced the agency's first debarment of a food importer. Peter Xuong Lam, president of Virginia Star Seafood Corporation of Fairfax, Va. Lam was convicted at the felony level for participating in a conspiracy to sell frozen catfish fillets falsely labeled as sole, grouper, flounder, and other species to avoid paying antidumping duties. Lam is barred from importing articles of food or offering such articles for import into the U.S. for the next 20 years. The court also issued a prison sentence and ordered Lam to forfeit more than $12 million to reimburse the government for antidumping duties. (News release, dated 12/11/09, available at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm193846.htm)
6. Two Charged for Trafficking Counterfeit Cisco Brand Computer Hardware from China
The Justice Department stated that its has charged two men with one count of conspiracy, 30 counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods and one count of trafficking in counterfeit labels, The indictment alleges that Myers, who in 2003 founded a company called Deals Express in Merriam, Kan., conspired with Weatherly, who in 2005 established a company called Deals Direct, Inc., in Overland Park, to import counterfeit Cisco brand computer hardware from China. In order to make the hardware look authentic they attached counterfeit Cisco labels to the components, and packaged them in counterfeit Cisco boxes along with counterfeit Cisco manuals. (News release, dated 12/03/09, available at http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/myers1Char.pdf)
7. Cambodia Agrees to Join U.S. Megaports Initiative
The National Nuclear Security Administration states that Cambodia will join the U.S. Megaports Initiative, a cooperative effort to detect, deter, and interdict illicit maritime smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material. As part of the agreement, the NNSA will work with Cambodia to install radiation detection equipment and associated infrastructure (and provide training) at the Port of Sihanoukville. NNSA hopes to meet its goal of equipping 100 ports with radiation detection equipment by 2015. The Megaports Initiative is now operational at 28 ports worldwide. (dated 12/14/09, available at http://nnsa.energy.gov/2754.htm)
8. APHIS to Allow Cooked Pork Skin Imports from Disease Countries Under Certain Conditions
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective January 14, 2009, to allow for the importation of cooked pork skins from regions affected with foot-and-mouth disease, swine vesicular disease, African swine fever, and classical swine fever under certain conditions. (D/N APHIS-2008-0032, FR Pub 12/15/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-29797.pdf)
9. APHIS to Add New Requirements for Imports of Swine Hides and Skins, Bird Trophies, and Ruminant Hides and Skins
APHIS is issuing a final rule, effective January 14, 2009, to amend its regulations governing the importation of animal byproducts to require that untanned swine hides and skins from regions with African swine fever and bird trophies from regions with exotic Newcastle disease meet certain requirements or go directly to an approved establishment upon importation into the U.S. APHIS is also setting out certain requirements for the importation of untanned bovine, deer, and other ruminant hides and skins into the U.S. from Mexico to prevent the spread of bovine babesiosis. (D/N APHIS-2006-0113, FR Pub 12/15/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-29798.pdf)
10. Millennium Challenge Corp Board Selects 7 Countries for FY 2010
The Millennium Challenge Corporation Board has announced its selection of the following countries as eligible for MCC assistance for FY10: Cape Verde, Indonesia, Jordan, Malawi, Moldova, the Philippines, and Zambia. These selections were based on their demonstrated commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and investing in their people, as well as on the opportunity to reduce poverty and generate economic growth in the country. (FR Pub 12/15/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-29941.pdf)
11. Treasury Designates Sinaloa Cartel Members Under Kingpin Act, Etc.
The Treasury Department has issued a press release announcing that on December 15, 2009, its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Mexican nationals and one Colombian national as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) for providing material support to the drug trafficking activities of the Sinaloa Cartel. OFAC also designated two Mexican companies and two Colombian companies as SDNTs. This action, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act), prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these entities and individuals and freezes any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction. (Press release TG-444, dated 12/15/09, available at http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/tg444.htm.)
12. Haiti, Fiji Sign Economic Partnership Agreements with EU
Haiti has signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union and Fijihas signed an interim EPA, joining the 14 Caribbean States that signed the EPA in October 2008. (Press release, dated 12/11/09, available at http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=497)
13. Chile Invited to Become a Member of OECD
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has invited Chile to become its second member in Latin America after Mexico. Chile will formally accept this invitation on January 11, 2010 in Santiago. (Notice, dated 12/15/09, available at http://www.oecd.org/document/28/0,3343,en_2649_201185_44267356_1_1_1_1,00.html)
14. FAS Global Agriculture Information Network Reports
The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN reports:
Thailand Weekly Rice Price Update: Grain and Feed
15. BIS Consolidates Ten Existing Information Collections into New Collection
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued an information collection notice that consolidates ten existing BIS information collections into one new collection. The ten existing information collections are:
Written Assurances for Exports of Technical Data under License Exception TSR
Short Supply-Unprocessed Western Red Cedar
License Exception TMP: Special Requirements
Humanitarian Donations
Report of Sample Shipments of Chemical Weapons Precursors
One-time Report For Foreign Software or Technology Eligible For De Minimis Exclusion
Commercial Encryption Items under the Jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce
Recordkeeping Requirements under the Wassenaar Arrangement
Prior Notification of Exports under License Exception AGR
Thermal Imaging Camera Reporting
Comments are due by February 12, 2010. (BIS notice, FR Pub 12/14/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-29702.pdf)