The Energy Department is amending energy efficiency standards for small, large, and very large air-cooled commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment and commercial warm air furnaces, in a direct final rule issued Jan. 15. Compliance with the amended standards will be required for all products subject to the standards that are manufactured or imported into the U.S. on or after Jan. 1, 2023, unless adverse comments are received by DOE. Comments are due May 4.
Republican presidential primary candidate Donald Trump denied reports that he plans on imposing a 45 percent tariff on all Chinese goods, but appeared to leave the door open for higher tariffs on China at the Jan. 14 debate. John Kasich echoed Trump in tone, if not policy substance, while Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush criticized Trumps’ tariff proposal as harmful to U.S. consumers and potentially resulting in Chinese tariff retaliation. Ted Cruz touted his proposal for a 16 percent value added tax (VAT) on imports as accomplishing the same thing as a tariff without running afoul of global trade rules.
The Energy Department on Jan. 15 issued two final rules amending energy efficiency standards (here) and test procedures (here) for residential boilers (and furnaces, in the case of the test procedures). The new test procedures are required for all representations made on or after July 13. Compliance with the amended energy efficiency standards is required for all residential boilers manufactured or imported on or after Jan. 15, 2021.
The Labor Department’s Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA) will review an allegation that the Mexican government failed to fulfill its obligations under the labor chapter of NAFTA (here), the agency said in a notice. Specifically, the submission alleges that Mexico failed to "effectively enforce its labor laws with respect to freedom of association, collective bargaining, discrimination, minimum labor standards, occupational safety and health, and workers' compensation and to ensure that its labor law proceedings are fair, equitable, and transparent." OTLA will complete the review and issue a public report to the Secretary of Labor within 180 days of this acceptance, it said.
The Federal Trade Commission is asking for comments on proposed changes to its Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries, it said (here). The FTC is proposing to amend its guidance on marketing claims for precious metal surface applications, products containing more than one precious metal, alloys with precious metals, lead-glass-filled stones, varietals and cultured diamonds. Other changes would affect use of the word “gem” and treatments to pearl products. Comments are due April 4.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is removing the Johnston’s frankenia from the list of endangered and threatened species, in a final rule that takes effect Feb. 11 (here). The flowering plant had been subject to import and export restrictions as an endangered species since 1984.
The Export-Import Bank Advisory Committee will host a public meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST on Jan. 20, to discuss topics including the 2015 Ex-Im Bank Reauthorization Law, Ex-Im’s business and pipeline, and Ex-Im’s report on competitiveness to Congress. President Barack Obama signed into law the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which included a reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank, on Dec. 4. The meeting will be held in the Ex-Im Bank Main Conference Room: 11th floor, 811 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20571. More information can be found (here).
Presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would support a 45 percent tariff on Chinese exports to the U.S., the New York Times reported Jan. 7 (here). “I would tax China on products coming in,” Trump said to the Times' editorial board. “I would do a tariff, yes -- and they do it to us.” Trump said he is a "free trader," but emphasized that it should be fair, and highlighted that China has tariffs on U.S. products.
The Energy Department on Jan. 8 issued a final rule amending energy efficiency standards for refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machines (here). Compliance with the amended standards will be required for all vending machines manufactured or imported on or after Jan. 8, 2019.
Import data for goods regulated by the Federal Communications Commission can be filed through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) until July 1, when a waiver of FCC Form 740 requirements takes effect, the commission said Jan. 6 (here). The FCC issued the notice as a clarification of its plans to waive the requirements when the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is shut down and the use of ACE is required for electronic filing (see 1510190056), it said. "The Commission’s characterization in the Order of CBP’s ACS as the current system used for filing Form 740 information has been misinterpreted by some affected parties."