The International Trade Administration is asking for comments on what critical goods and materials on a draft list prepared by the Commerce Department should remain on the list. The draft list covers public health, information and communications technology, energy and critical minerals. Comments will be due Nov. 3, and can be submitted at regulations.gov for Docket ID ITA-2022-0010, and should include the 8-digit or 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading of the goods and minerals requested for addition.
The Commerce Department on Sept. 29 appointed members to its recently established Industrial Advisory Committee, which will provide the agency with guidance on semiconductor issues as it implements the CHIPS for America Act. The 24 committee members -- including officials from chips firms, car companies and academics -- will provide “advice on the science and technology needs” of the U.S. microelectronics industry. The Semiconductor Industry Association applauded the announcement, saying it’s “critical for government, industry, and academia to work collaboratively to ensure the new funding bridges key gaps in the current semiconductor [research and development] ecosystem.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending the public comment period on an information collection involving its delivery verification procedures for imports. BIS said some foreign governments require U.S. importers of certain “strategic commodities” to provide the foreign supplier with a U.S. Delivery Verification Certificate, which validates that the items were received. “This procedure increases the effectiveness of controls on the international trade of strategic commodities,” BIS said in a notice released Sept. 23. The agency is allowing for an additional 30 days of comments on the information collection.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements set fiscal year 2023 limits on imports of apparel articles from sub-Saharan Africa qualifying for preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, CITA said in a notice released Sept. 20. For the year running Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023, the aggregate quantity of imports eligible for preferential treatment under AGOA is capped at 2,353,677,080 square meters equivalent. Of that amount, 1,176,838,540 square meters equivalent will be available to apparel imported under AGOA’s third-country fabric provisions.