The Commerce Department on Sept. 2 released reports on export statistics broken down at the state level and on export figures registered in the top nearly 400 U.S. metropolitan areas across the country. In 2013, U.S. goods exports created 7.1 million jobs out of the total 11.3 million jobs generated through all exports, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said on a Sept. 2 conference call. Texas, California, Washington, Illinois and New York created roughly 43 percent of all export-related job growth in 2013, the state statistics briefing said (here). Houston, the largest metropolitan creator of export jobs in 2013, led 208 metropolitan areas that generated export job growth, the metropolitan statistic report said (here). Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank remains a critical priority in continuing to boost exports, said Pritzker on the conference call, along with U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman. The reauthorization effort faces an uphill climb this month, as its charter is set to expire on Sept. 30 (see 14082601).
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security is asking for public comments on the Export Administration Regulations licensing procedures for U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. BIS says it intends to incorporate the commentary into its biennial report on the licensing system, which will analyze fiscal years 2013-14. The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 allows U.S. export of agricultural commodities, medicine and medical devices to Cuba and other state sponsors of international terrorism, as defined by the law, but only permit one-year licenses (here). BIS is asking for comments on the effectiveness of the licensing procedures. Stakeholders must submit comments by Oct. 6 via www.regulations.gov, docket number BIS--2014-0034.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security is asking for stakeholder comments on the impact, primarily economic, of the foreign policy-based export controls currently in effect. The controls are included in the Export Administration Regulations. The Export Administration Act requires the president to submit a report to Congress on the impacts of the controls (here). Stakeholders must submit comments by Oct. 6 via www.regulations.gov, notice number BIS--2014-0024. BIS is asking for input on the following specific areas:
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Sept. 3:
The Northeastern Vermont Development Association has applied to expand the area served by Foreign-Trade Zone 286, said a notice from the FTZ Board. The zone currently has a service area that includes Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties, Vermont. Under the proposed expansion, it would also cover Lamoille County, Vermont. If approved, the zone’s grantee would be able to serve sites throughout the expanded service area based on companies’ needs for FTZ designation, said the FTZB. Comments are due by Nov. 3.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Aug. 29:
The value of merchandise received and exported from U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones rose for the fourth straight year to $835.8 billion and $79.5 billion, respectively, according to the recently released annual report of the FTZ Board. The report also says the proportion of shipments received at FTZs involving domestic-status merchandise rose from 58 to 65 percent, which is an increase in operations that combine U.S. and foreign inputs, said the report. The amount of merchandise received by warehouse and distribution operations shot up to $264 billion in 2013, and such operations now represent 32% of all FTZ activity, up from 25% in 2012, it said.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a final rule to update the legal authority in the Export Administration Regulations to reflect President Barack Obama’s early August decision to allow Commerce to continue to regulate exports through the EAR (see 14080801). Obama on Aug. 7 extended a national emergency associated with the expiration of the Export Administration Act, which initially lapsed in 1994 and has since been renewed annually through executive action. The BIS final rule is effective Aug. 29.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Aug. 27:
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Aug. 19: