In the March 8, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 11), CBP issued a notice proposing to revoke three classification rulings on machines for producing metal-coated glass discs containing digitally-encoded data. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that Malaysia has decided to reopen its market to U.S. boneless beef and beef products from animals under 30 months of age. The USTR states that the initial agreement will allow U.S. plants currently approved by Malaysia to resume such exports and notes that the U.S. and Malaysia are currently finalizing the import documentation statements and details so that trade can begin. (USTR Pub 03/07/06, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2006/March/Portman_Welcomes_Step_by_Malaysia_to_Open_Market_to_US_Beef_Beef_Products.html)
In U.S. v. Ford Motor Company (Ford), the Court of International Trade (CIT) granted Ford's motion to dismiss certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) claims for a repayment of duties in the amount of $5,275,329 under 19 USC 1592(d), as the statute of limitations had expired.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a press release stating that on March 6, 2006, a majority of the six Commissioners voted to revoke the existing antidumping (AD) and/or countervailing (CV) duty orders on brass sheet and strip from Canada (A-122-601) and Brazil (A-351-603 & C-351-604).
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has issued a press release stating that its comprehensive review of global trade figures shows that China is racing towards monopoly status in apparel categories that were not covered by quotas in the U.S. and the European Union (EU) in 2005. According to NCTO's analysis, if China continues at its current pace, it will achieve a 70% import share in the U.S. and the EU in these categories within the next 15 months. (NCTO press release, dated 03/02/06, available at http://www.ncto.org/newsroom/pr200602.asp.)
The Journal of Commerce reports that Mexico's maquiladoras, in response to competition from China, have reinvented themselves as high-tech, lean manufacturing enterprises that emphasize quality instead of low wages. According to the article, in 2005, new plants opened and maquiladoras specializing in higher-end products such as auto parts and flat-screen televisions began to expand operations. (JoC dated 02/20/06, www.joc.com.)
In June 2005, the Court of International Trade ruled in International Custom Products (ICP), Inc. v. U.S., that a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Notice of Action (Rate Advance) reclassifying certain "white sauce" is null and void as CBP failed to observe 19 USC 1625(c) which requires, among other things, advance notice and comment when such an action would revoke or modify a binding ruling.
(This summary first appeared in ITT on March 2, 2006 06030215. It is amended and reissued in order to reflect the March 1, 2006 version of the 2006 HTS. Also, sections on changed circumstances reviews and email notification are added. The BP Note is also revised to cover the expanded list of allowed non-originating textiles.)
The International Trade Administration (ITA) and the International Trade Commission (ITC) have issued various notices, each initiating automatic five-year Sunset Reviews on the above-listed antidumping (AD) duty orders.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued the preliminarily results of its countervailing (CV) duty administrative reviews of low enriched uranium from Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (UK) for the period of January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.