The Information Technology Industry Council supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership, it said in a policy position statement released Dec. 14 (here). ITI called the trade agreement a "vital tool to promote durable growth and innovation" and to expand the "social and economic benefits" of the digital economy, and lauded provisions in the deal on cross-border data flows, information and communications technology market access, strong and balanced intellectual property rules and regulatory transparency. "After reviewing the agreement, we have decided to support the TPP, because it offers tremendous growth and innovation opportunities for the technology sector and our economy," ITI CEO Dean Garfield said. TPP "will promote an open, pro-innovation environment for the digital economy globally" and is a "strong rebuke against digital protectionism," ITI said.
The International Trade Commission will consider changes to rules of origin under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) in a recently launched investigation that was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative, it said in a Dec. 14 press release (here). Comments are due Jan. 25 on the economic effects of the potential modifications, which would affect fishing lures, gaming machines, polyvinyl chloride and some chemicals. The ITC expects it will submit its report to USTR by May 24, it said.
The data collection requirements for importers of FCC-regulated goods is unclear for June-December next year, Intel said during a meeting with the FCC on Dec. 10 (here). Intel "recommended that the FCC not require collection or reporting of the information contained in Form 740 either during or after this period" and should rely on existing CBP processes. The company also "stressed importers should have the flexibility to manage their own records and develop internal controls for monitoring noncompliant devices." The FCC recently said it plans to waive its Form 740 certification requirements for radio frequency devices imported between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2016 (see 1510200035). Industry responses to the plan to do away with the Form 740 were largely positive, though Boeing noted it considers the government collections of the information to be a useful compliance tool (see 1510130057).
The Federal Trade Commission and four retailers agreed to settle lawsuits over the mislabeling of "rayon textiles" as made from "bamboo," the FTC said in a news release (here). Bed Bath & Beyond, Nordstrom, J.C. Penney Company and Backcountry.com will pay a total of $1.3 million if the proposed court orders are approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the agency said. “It’s misleading to call bamboo that has been chemically processed into rayon simply ‘bamboo,’” said Jessica Rich, FTC director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. The companies are alleged to have continued to misrepresent products despite the issuance of FTC warning letters in 2010, the FTC said.
The Committee for Implementation of Trade Agreements is asking for comments by Jan. 6 on potential changes to rules of origin under the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement for certain fabrics. American Eagle Outfitters on Nov. 19 requested that the U.S. and Morocco loosen rules of origin for women’s and girls’ garments made of 100 percent rayon woven fabric under HTS heading 5408, said CITA (here). Swimsuit Commission Corporation separately filed a request (here), also on Nov. 19, asking the U.S. and Morocco to revise rules of origin for women’s and girls’ swimwear under HTS subheading made from polyester or nylon warp-knit fabrics 6004.10. CITA will consider whether each respective fabric is not available in commercial commodities in either the U.S. or Morocco.
The Fish and Wildlife Service announced proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items the U.S. may submit for consideration at the upcoming meeting of the Conference of the Parties to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), scheduled for Sept. 24 through Oct. 5 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The agency's notice (here) includes lists of resolutions, decisions, and agenda items that the United States is likely to submit, currently undecided about submitting, or currently planning not to submit. FWS is asking for comments on these proposals by Feb. 2.
The Rubber and Plastic Footwear Manufacturers Association will not oppose congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, said the association’s trade counsel, Marc Fleischaker of Arent Fox. The domestic manufacturer association, which includes New Balance among its members, has committed to the U.S. Trade Representative won’t present a roadblock to the deal in light of the consideration USTR gave to the RPFMA’s views. USTR did a good job on TPP’s rules of origin, particularly the trade agreement’s tariff shift rules, said Fleischaker. However, some U.S. concessions went too far, according to Fleischaker, so the RPFMA won’t give its support to the deal either, instead remaining neutral. The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, which represents a number of large footwear companies that rely heavily on imports, recently outlined what it considered the benefits of the TPP (see 1511090064). The two footwear groups previously disagreed on some terms of the TPP during negotiations in 2013 (see 13082314).
The Trans-Pacific Partnership represents an “unprecedented opportunity” for pork exporters in the Asia-Pacific region, said the National Pork Producers Council in a recent fact sheet (here). Among other benefits, the deal would cause Japan, already the second-largest market in the world for U.S. pork exports, to “virtually” dismantle its complex system of pork tariffs, known as the “gate price” system, over the next 11 years. It would also make Vietnam, which only gets 2 percent of its pork from the U.S. despite consuming more pork than Mexico, to get rid of tariffs running as high as 30 percent that have up to now limited U.S. pork exports. According to the council, one economist has called TPP “the most important commercial opportunity ever for U.S. pork producers.” Without TPP, U.S. pork exports to the Asia-Pacific would be at a “serious competitive advantage,” said the group.
The Department of Energy on Nov. 18 issued a proposed rule (here) that would codify an exemption from energy efficiency requirements for certain external power supplies sold as service and spare parts. The exemption, which was established in law by the EPS Service Parts Act of 2014, applies to external power supplies manufactured between 2016 and 2020, and made available as a spare part for an end-use product manufactured before Feb. 10, 2016, the date that new energy efficiency standards for external power supplies would otherwise come into effect. DOE is also proposing to require that importers and domestic manufacturers annually report to the agency the total units of exempt EPSs sold as service and spare parts that do not meet the 2016 standards. Comments on the proposed rule are due Dec. 17.
Recently-adopted changes to the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act will take effect on Dec. 17, said the Federal Trade Commission in a final rule (here). The commission had voted unanimously on Sept. 30 to adopt the changes (see 1510070029), which, among other things, will allow companies not to list their street addresses on packaging as long as the address is available on a website. The final rule also eliminates provisions governing use of certain outdated terms like "cents off," "introductory offer" and "economy size," specifically allow use of exponents for customary measurements like cubic inches, include a more detailed metric/customary conversion table, and add a statement cautioning that states may still regulate products that are exempt from the FTC regulations.