The State Department, is designating three North Korean entities pursuant to Executive Order 13382, “Blocking Property of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters”: the Second Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), the Second Economic Committee (SEC), and the Munitions Industry Department (MID). The designation is effective August 30, 2010.
The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General has issued a report containing an independent audit conducted by KPMG LLP that provides observations and recommendations related to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's information technology management for FY 2009.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice announcing that the Committee of Chairs of the Industry Trade Advisory Committees (ITACs) will hold a partially open meeting on September 17, 2010. The topics to be discussed are the National Export Initiative and the Report of the Chairs on ITACs’ Trade Priority Issues and Concerns.
The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The State Department, World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently issued the following travel warnings, travel alerts, country specific information sheets, and disease outbreak-related information:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology posts drafts and changes to foreign technical regulations for manufactured products which may be considered technical barriers to trade and are therefore required to be reported to the World Trade Organization, which distributes the information to WTO Member countries.
On September 6, 2010, President Obama announced a comprehensive infrastructure plan to expand and renew U.S. roads, railways and runways at the Laborfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The plan builds upon the infrastructure investments the President has already made through the Recovery Act, includes principles the President put forth during the campaign, and emphasizes U.S. competitiveness and innovation. A fact sheet is available here.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a notice, effective September 7, 2010, announcing that it is changing its policy and eliminating expiration dates for classification approvals because its current policy of a 5-year expiration date for classification approvals has had unanticipated effects. Existing classification approvals with expiration dates will be reissued by PHMSA in accordance with the change of policy. While expiration dates for classification approvals will be eliminated, PHMSA retains the authority to issue approvals with expiration dates on a case-by-case basis.
The Commerce Department's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is organizing an Information and Communication Technologies trade mission to Saudi Arabia, April 2-5, 2011. Led by a senior Commerce Department official, this trade mission will introduce suppliers of information technology and communication products and services to potential buyers and allow them to explore new business opportunities.
The U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission has posted the transcript of its June 9, 2010 hearing on Evaluating China’s Past and Future Role in the World Trade Organization.