The Charlotte Regional Partnership submitted an application to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board to reorganize FTZ 57 under the Alternative Site Framework, and expand the zone to cover 15 counties in North Carolina, according to an FTZ Board Federal Register notice. Under the reorganization, the zone's service area would cover Alexander, Anson, Caldwell, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly and Union Counties. The zone would be adjacent to the Charlotte Port of Entry. ASF streamlines processes for designation of new FTZ subzones and usage driven sites within the larger service area by allowing companies to request zone status through the relatively simple "minor boundary modification" process. Comments on the application are due by April 14.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Feb. 11:
Courtland County, New York has applied to create a new foreign-trade zone, according to a notice issued by the FTZ Board. The zone would be the fourth FTZ in the Syracuse area, with the current three covering Onondaga, Oneida, and Chenango Counties, respectively. If approved, the Courtland County zone would have a service area under the Alternative Site Framework of Courtland County, New York. Comments on the proposed FTZ are due by April 14.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Feb. 10:
World Trade Center Savannah has applied to expand the area served by Foreign-Trade Zone 104, said a notice from the FTZ Board. The zone currently has a service area that includes Bulloch, Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long, Screven, Columbia and Richmond Counties, Georgia. Under the expansion, it would also cover Burke, Candler, Emanuel, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Washington and Wheeler Counties, Georgia. 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 April 11.
The Census Bureau in a Feb. 6 press release encouraged exporters to begin testing Foreign Trade Regulations changes, as the Automated Export System Education (testing) environment has been updated. The FTR changes will take effect on April 5 (see 14011310). CBP will begin “deployment of the new code for the rehosted” Automated Export System on March 22, and exporters should begin testing as soon as possible, said Census.
The U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $38.7 billion in December from $34.6 billion in November, Census said on Feb. 6. Exports decreased to $191.3 billion in December from $194.8 billion in November and imports increased to $230 billion in December from $229.4 billion in November, it said.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a denial of export privileges for Evans Meridians Ltd., a British Virgin Islands based firm, over alleged violations of the Export Administration Regulations. The addition modifies a Jan. 3 export denial order for the following firms and individuals:
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is asking for comments on a proposed rule that seeks to clarify party responsibility in export transactions where a foreign principal party in interest (FPPI) is responsible for the export of an item subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The proposed rule changes terminology for such transactions to avoid confusion, and also sets new requirements for authorizing the FPPI to handle export and documentation requirements. Comments are due by April 7.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) notified the public of its intention to initiate a proceeding against New Jersey-based Ansell Protective Products and French firm Comasec SAS over apparent violations of the Export Administration Regulations and the Iranian Transactions Regulations. In 2008, Ansell and Comasec collaborated to export approximately 35,000 pairs of Nitrotough N115 and Blue Nitrile industrial-strength gloves, at a rough value of $43,500, to Iran via the United Arab Emirates, said BIS. In 2009, the firm collaborated to export approximately 30,000 pairs of Nitrotough N115 and Blue Nitrile industrial-strength gloves, at a rough value of $30,200, to Iran via the United Arab Emirates, BIS added. The firms did not obtain the required U.S. government authorization. BIS assessed a $190,000 fine on both Ansell and Comasec to be paid within 30 days of the Jan. 31 notification.