Conservation groups Sea Shepherd New Zealand and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society moved to toss one count of their complaint in a case seeking an import ban on certain fish taken from New Zealand's West coast North Island multispecies set-net and trawl fisheries. The plaintiffs filed a partial motion to dismiss at the Court of International Trade on Feb. 2, arguing that the third count of the complaint, which is a challenge to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2020 comparability findings on this area in New Zealand's waters, is moot since the findings expired at the end of 2022 (Sea Shepherd New Zealand v. United States, CIT #20-00112).
U.S. leaders “must act” to ensure America remains competitive in the emerging biotechnology sector, including through trade restrictions and other controls, the Center for New American Security’s new Biotech Task Force said in a “statement of purpose” this week. In an emailed news release, the task force said the U.S. must constrain “harmful tech development by certain actors with updated mitigation strategies,” including ones that use “export controls and investment restrictions.” The strategies should also include “updating regulations, forging collaboration with trusted international partners, and reinforcing international law and norms.”
Republicans’ return to a House majority is unlikely to mean a big shift in the chamber’s approach to space policy and legislative priorities since those matters have generally been an area of bipartisan cooperation, policy experts said in interviews. The House Commerce Committee made its first foray into space matters for this Congress Thursday via a Communications Subcommittee hearing (see 2301270076) that lobbyists saw as a precursor to panel leaders’ plans to prioritize advancing legislation to revamp the FCC’s satellite licensing rules. House Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., staked the panel's claim to a role in space policy, saying during the hearing it has "been far too long since Congress reassessed the role of satellite technology in the communications marketplace and whether or not our regulatory environment encourages investment and innovation in the space economy, or hampers it."
"In respect of the Court’s orders," said an FTC spokesperson Wednesday, the agency "is not in a position to comment at this time" about the apparent denial Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila for Northern California of the commission's injunction to block Meta's Within Unlimited buy. Meta didn't respond to requests for comment. CCIA President Matt Schruers hailed the order, which remained under seal Wednesday afternoon. The court's ruling "is consistent with decades of legal precedent," said Schruers in a statement. "This decision will encourage innovation and investment by increasing legal certainty around technology transactions.” The court’s decision is sealed, so its reasoning is not being made public, "but the outcome is no surprise," blogged the Competitive Enterprise Institute Wednesday. "In opposing the purchase, the nation’s top consumer advocate is playing fortune teller and breaking with 40 years of antitrust precedent," said CEI. "While the agency should focus on consumer welfare, it has instead tried to meddle in a market that does not yet exist." A virtual status conference is set for Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. PST, apparently to discuss next steps after the injunction's denial, said a text-only clerk’s notice entry Tuesday (docket 5:22-CV-04325). Davila did sign an order late Tuesday granting the FTC’s emergency motion to extend the agency’s jointly stipulated temporary restraining order with Meta barring consummation of the Within transaction until the end of the first business day after Davila rules on the injunction (see 2301310042). The TRO was due to expire at 11:59 p.m. PST Tuesday. The FTC alternatively asked for a seven-day extension of the TRO to eliminate the need for another emergency motion should Davila deny the preliminary injunction. Davila’s order was also sealed, so it’s unknown which TRO option he chose.
There should be closer coordination between government agencies and emergency alert system manufacturers on “validation, disclosure and the action steps” for future public warning cybersecurity vulnerabilities, said EAS equipment manufacturer Digital Alert Systems (DAS) in a meeting with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, according to an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 15-94. Vulnerabilities connected with DAS equipment were discussed at a hacking convention and the subject of FCC and Federal Emergency Management Agency notices to broadcasters last year (see 2301300054). “During the conversation, we confirmed that to the best of our knowledge, these vulnerabilities have not resulted in any actual compromise of the EAS,” DAS said. The company said it has been providing security patches to users without cost, and users haven't needed a major upgrade for the past three years. DAS also said the agency should bring back the National Advisory Committee to make recommendations on public warning system matters, and the FCC should oversee security certifications for EAS manufacturers.
Mayer Brown adds Spencer Glende, ex-Dorsey & Whitney, as a partner and a member of its technology and intellectual property transactions practice and its emerging companies and venture capital practice ... DocuSign names Atlassian’s Robert Chatwani president-general manager-growth, and Anwar Akram, ex-Google, chief operating officer ... Rockwell Automation promotes Shovan Sengupta to regional vice president-market access, Asia Pacific.
Mayer Brown adds Spencer Glende, ex-Dorsey & Whitney, to its Salt Lake City office as a partner and a member of its technology and intellectual property transactions practice and its emerging companies and venture capital practice ... DocuSign names Atlassian’s Robert Chatwani *president-general manager-growth, and Anwar Akram, ex-Google, chief operating officer ... Changes at Payoneer Global: Adam Cohen, former Payoneer general manager-enterprise, returns to the company as chief growth officer; Kivanc Onan, ex-PayPal and Alibaba Group, named senior vice president-global product commercialization; Kevin Ambrosini, also former Alibaba, joins as senior vice president-corporate development ... Digital fraud protection company Mitek names Scott Carter, ex-ID Analytics, executive chairperson, newly created position; former chairperson Bruce Hansen will remain a board member; Kim Stevenson named lead independent director ... Electric vehicle company Ideanomics promotes Robin Mackie to COO, and Macy Neshati to chief commercial officer ... Rockwell Automation promotes Shovan Sengupta to regional vice president-market access, Asia Pacific ... National Spectrum Consortium elects to executive committee Expression Networks’ Abir Ray and Cohere Technologies’ Art King, both for small, nontraditional businesses, and Nokia’s Ken Riordan, representing large, nontraditional businesses.
The U.S. will appeal a World Trade Organization dispute panel ruling that found its origin marking requirement for goods from Hong Kong violated global trade rules. Submitting its notification of appeal during the Jan. 27 meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body, the U.S. said it was taking the matter to the defunct Appellate Body concurrent with separate panel rulings that said the Section 232 national security tariffs also violated WTO commitments.
The U.S. will appeal a World Trade Organization dispute panel ruling that found its origin marking requirement for goods from Hong Kong violated global trade rules. Submitting its notification of appeal during the Jan. 27 meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body, the U.S. said it was taking the matter to the defunct Appellate Body concurrent with separate panel rulings that said the Section 232 national security tariffs also violated WTO commitments.
The upcoming U.S. outbound investment review tool probably won’t be used to unwind past deals, and will likely only target investments in specific, sensitive technology areas, said Laura Black, a former Treasury Department official. But she said companies still should prepare for a new outbound investment executive order and be ready for other jurisdictions to implement their own outbound investment controls, including in the EU.