According to The Journal of Commerce, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Basham stated at CBP's 7th Annual Trade Symposium that the agency intends to implement rules requiring importers to provide additional data to identify high-risk ocean shipments - the 10 2 data - by the end of summer 2007. Basham stated that Customs is not going to implement all the data requirements at once, but will phase them in to minimize their impact. (JoC, dated 12/14/06, available at www.joc.com )
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received a petition (HP 07-1) requesting that the CPSC amend its regulation under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) to allow the use of the term "detonator" to be used interchangeably with the term "blasting cap." Comments are due by February 12, 2007. (FR Pub 12/12/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-21023.pdf)
Shippers NewsWire reports that the Census Bureau and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are engaging in talks aimed at finalizing the rules for mandatory electronic filing of export information (i.e., mandatory Automated Export System (AES) filing). The article notes that in February 2006, DHS and CBP threatened to hold the mandatory AES regulations unless Census changed language pertaining to post-departure filing of export information (i.e., Option 4) and gave DHS and CBP the right to share U.S. export information with other governments and federal agencies. The article further notes that Census sources have stated that the new regulations will not be out soon. (SNW dated 12/06/06, www.americanshipper.com.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted to its Web site a document on the International Trade Data System (ITDS) program.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a proposed rule which would amend Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations pertaining to CBP's field organization by extending the geographic limits of the port of Dayton, Ohio, to include the Airborne Airpark in Wilmington, Ohio. CBP adds that the proposed extension of the port limits of Dayton is due to the closing of express consignment operations at Dayton International Airport, and the expansion of express consignment operations at Airborne Airpark. CBP notes that the user-fee status of Airborne Airpark would be terminated. Comments must be received on or before January 22, 2007. (D/N USCBP-2006-0091, FR Pub 11/21/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-19631.pdf)
International Trade Data Users (ITDU) has announced that it will hold a conference on the 2007 Harmonized Code changes on December 5, 2007 in Washington, DC. The conference will be followed by a Trade Data Workshop, on December 6, discussing details of trade data; definitions, collections, what's available, and how to get it. The cost for the general public is $125 for the conference only, $150 for the workshop only, and $250 for both the conference and the workshop. (See ITDU's Web site, www.itdu.org, for agendas, cost and registration information, etc.) (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/03/06 news, 06110305, for BP reminder on the 2007 HTS changes.)
On October 19, 2006, the President continued for one year the national emergency that was declared on October 21, 1995 by Executive Order (EO) 12978 with respect to significant narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia. (FR Pub 10/20/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-8840.pdf)
The Journal of Commerce reports that automakers in the U.S., Canada, and European Union (EU), facing declining sales at home, are pinning their hopes for a recovery on a huge surge in demand for their vehicles in China. However, the article notes that their prospects could be affected by a global dispute over China's new rules for imposing tariffs on foreign auto parts, which are the subject of a complaint filed by the U.S., Canada, and EU with the World Trade Organization (WTO). (JoC dated 10/02/06, www.joc.com.)
The Journal of Commerce Online reports that Canada is protesting the new Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) rule that imposes new border agricultural quarantine and inspection (AQI) charges on all commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft and international air passengers. Also, Canadian grown fruits and vegetables that enter into the U.S. will no longer be exempt from AQI inspection. (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/07/06 news, 06090720, for BP summary of APHIS' interim rule.) (JoC Online, dated 10/17/06, www.joc.com)
The U.S. Trade Representative has provided an update on the status of the 2005 ATPA/ATPDEA Annual Review, which also includes remaining petitions from the 2004 ATPA/ATPDEA Annual Reviews whose results will be issued as part of the 2005 Annual Review. The USTR states that the issues raised by the petition filed by LeTourneau of Peru, Inc. with respect to Peru have been resolved and that its review is being terminated. With respect to the other pending petitions, the USTR is modifying its schedule so that the 2005 Annual Review continues through December 31, 2006, which is the period the ATPA/ATPDEA is in effect. (USTR notice, FR Pub 10/04/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-16421.pdf )