The Federal Maritime Commission has initiated a fact finding Investigation into complaints or inquiries from individual shippers of household goods and personal property in U.S.-foreign oceanborne trades, which will further FMC's Strategic Goal to protect the public from unlawful, unfair or deceptive ocean transportation practices and resolve shipping disputes.
The American Apparel and Footwear Association and numerous other groups sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack regarding the June 17 announcement of a framework agreement between the U.S. and Brazil on cotton. In the letter, the groups state that they look forward to working with the USTR and Agriculture Secretary to secure a definitive resolution of this dispute.
Various U.S. government agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget approval or extension of approval (see notices for specific details):
The Patent and Trademark Office has issued a final rule, effective June 25, 2010, which revises the rules of practice to update the service addresses for certain correspondence to the Office of the General Counsel and a component of OGC, the Office of the Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property Law and Solicitor, and the address for the Public Search Room.
The Treasury Department states that the Office of Foreign Assets Control announced an $860,000 settlement with Agar Corporation, Inc. (ACI), an oil field equipment company, regarding the company's unlicensed export of oil and gas production equipment for use in Sudan in violation of the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations.
The Government Accountability Office has issued a letter to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on transportation security. Among other things, the letter states that the GAO will be issuing a report later this year on its evaluation of the extent to which the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program security measures limit access to Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)-regulated facilities and vessels.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued an interim final rule, effective June 25, 2010, which modifies the requirements of License Exception ENC (Encryption Commodities, Software and Technology) and the requirements for qualifying an encryption item as mass market, and amends specific license requirements for encryption items.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is publishing the names of five individuals and three entities in Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica whose property and interests in property have been blocked pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, effective June 17, 2010.
On June 24, 2010, in Luxembourg, representatives of the U.S. and the European Union and its twenty-seven Member States signed a “Second Stage” civil aviation agreement, which extends indefinitely and builds on their “Open Skies” agreement that was signed in April 2007. The new agreement also deepens U.S.-EU cooperation in aviation security, safety, competition, and ease of travel. In addition, it contains provisions on night flights and labor standards.