The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued three notices that either reissue ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses, revoke OTI licenses, or list those applying for OTI licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:
In the August 2, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 32), CBP issued a notice proposing to revoke or modify eight classification rulings on Styrofoam articles covered with paper or natural materials. CBP states that it is proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical merchandise.
According to a recent Journal of Commerce "Customs Update" column, the latest revisions of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits" (UPC), called UPC 600, were drafted at a May meeting of the International Chamber of Commerce's (ICC's) Banking Commission. According to the column, the UPC are the rules banks use in examining documentary presentations for compliance.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a press release stating that on August 3, 2006, a majority of the six Commissioners voted to revoke the existing antidumping (AD) duty orders on spherical plain bearings from France (A-427-801) and ball bearings from Singapore (A-559-801).
In the August 2, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBPBulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 32), CBP issued notices: (a) proposing to modify a ruling relating to the country of origin marking of printed gift tissue paper, and (b) modifying or revoking three classification rulings on snack mixes. CBP states that it is also revoking, or is proposing to revoke, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued notices announcing that it is revoking the antidumping (AD) duty orders on stainless steel wire rods from Brazil and France, and the AD duty order on light-walled welded rectangular carbon steel tubing from Argentina.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued an interim rule which, effective August 10, 2006, amends 49 CFR Part 1572 to reflect its determination that commercial vehicle drivers licensed in Canada or Mexico who have been accepted into the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) Commercial Drivers program by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), can use their FAST card as an acceptable credential to transport placarded amounts of hazardous materials or any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin in 42 CFR Part 73 (hazmats1) within the U.S.
If it does not receive, by August 31, 2006, a request for an administrative review of entries covered by an AD or CV duty order or suspension agreement listed above for the identified review period, the ITA will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess AD or CV duties on those entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of (or bond for) estimated AD or CV duties required on those entries at the time of entry, and to continue to collect the cash deposit previously ordered.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its preliminary results of the following antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty administrative reviews:
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. and Malaysia made solid progress in the second round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations which were held during the week of July 17, 2006. According to the press release, the U.S. and Malaysia will meet again in September for another full round of negotiations. (USTR press release, dated 07/21/06, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2006/July/US_Malaysia_Hold_Second_Round_of_FTA_Negotiations.html.)