Current standards for extra virgin olive oil are widely unenforced and allow a wide range of olive oil qualities to be marketed as extra virgin, weakening the competitiveness of high-quality U.S.-produced olive oil, said an August International Trade Commission report released Sept. 12 (here). It also said many U.S. consumers are unable to distinguish quality differences, so they "gravitate toward less costly oils, giving an advantage to large bottlers that sell low-cost imported product." Last year, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., asked the agency to look at the industry (see 12092633).
Revoking the existing antidumping duty order on certain welded large diameter line pipe from Japan would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time, the International Trade Commission said Sept. 12. The decision had been announced Sept. 12 (see 13091218) but details weren't immediately available. The ITC voted 5-1 to keep the existing order on imports of this product from Japan in place. (Chairman Irving Williamson and Commissioners Shara Aranoff, Dean Pinkert, David Johanson, and Meredith Broadbent voted yes. Commissioner Daniel Pearson voted no in the five-year sunset review process).
The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security requested comment on a proposed information collection method for triangular transactions covered by a U.S. import certificate. The agency currently stamps import certificates that indicate an importer does not intend to import or retain items in the U.S. The stamp is a means to authorize approved U.S. imports to be transshipped to other destinations instead of being imported to the U.S., as approved on an International Import Certification. The comment period will expire Nov. 16. Interested parties should submit comments to Commerce official Jennifer Jessup at jjessup@doc.gov. The agency is requesting comments in the following areas:
The International Trade Administration is seeking applications for allocation of the 2014 tariff rate quotas on worsted wool fabric to persons who cut and sew men's and boys' worsted wool suits, suit-type jackets and trousers in the U.S., it said in a Federal Register notice (here) scheduled for Sept. 13. Applications are due on the form provided by Oct. 12 to the Office of Textiles and Apparel, Room 30003, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20230. Application forms may be obtained at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/wooltrq/wool_app.htm.
The International Trade Administration said it launched an online catalogue to connect U.S. providers of air traffic management technologies and related services to potential clients around the globe. The NextGen Solutions Vendors Guide (Guide) will direct users to U.S. manufacturers of Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) technologies and U.S. providers of related knowledge and services that can be used to upgrade air traffic management systems, it said.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a proposed rule to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement changes to the Unverified List (UVL) in order to increase the government’s ability to verify the bona fides of parties to exports, reexports or in-country transfers of EAR items. The changes also seek to increase transparency with individuals involved in such practice, whose bona fides cannot be verified. Commerce is asking interested parties to comment on the changes by Oct. 11 via e-mail to publiccomments@bis.doc.gov/. The proposed rule amends the EAR by the following ways:
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule to amend the list of Validated End Users (VEUs) in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Through the final rule, BIS adds Intel Semiconductor (Dalian) Ltd. (Intel Dalian) as a VEU in the China. BIS also changes the name of an exiting VEU in China, from Lam Research Corporation to Lam Research Service Co., Ltd.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Sept. 5:
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Sept. 4:
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Sept. 3: