The University of Pennsylvania posted presentation materials from the first and second day of its annual University Export Control Conference last week. The materials include agency update presentations from the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, the Office of Science and Technology Policy and other government agencies. Among the presentation materials are ones on foreign influence investigations, implementing a research security program and how to construct an export control program in a university setting.
U.S. organic food exporters should benefit from increasingly “good prospects” in the Hong Kong market amid a rise in the popularity of organic foods, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said in a May 5 report. The agency said the “slowdown” in U.S organic exports to Hong Kong last year was “far less” than the 20% decline in conventional U.S. exports. “While most U.S. agricultural exports faced shipping logistics challenges last year,” USDA said, “the smaller contraction in U.S. exports of organic products reflects the growing popularity of these products in Hong Kong.”
The recently signed trade deal involving Australia and India (see 2204040028) could “pose” challenges for U.S trade, including the prospects of American food and agricultural products in the Indian market, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said in a May 4 report. The agency said the deal may negatively affect Indian imports of U.S. wines, spirits, cotton, pulses, beans, forest products and tree nuts, products that will benefit from tariff reductions with Australia. Exporters also should monitor India’s efforts to sign trade deals with a host of other countries, USDA said, including with the U.K., Canada and Israel.
The International Trade Commission will produce a report by March 15 next year on the economic impact of Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs on U.S. prices, trade and production in the industries most affected by the tariffs. The commission announced that it will hold a public hearing on July 21, and that requests to appear at that hearing should be filed by July 6. It also will accept written submissions on the topic through Aug. 24.
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed by a week a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced May 6. The ports had planned to begin imposing the fee in November 2021 but have postponed it each week since. The latest extension delays the effective date until May 13.
The Federal Maritime Commission will now require global ocean carrier groups 2M, Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance to provide “enhanced” pricing and capacity information, the FMC announced May 5. The new information requirement will give the FMC more data to assess the “behavior” of ocean carriers, including information on the pricing of individual trade lanes by container and service type. The FMC now also will receive more carrier data “regarding capacity management decisions,” the agency said.
President Joe Biden on May 4 announced several initiatives to “advance” U.S. innovation in quantum information science and ensure the U.S. remains a leader in quantum technologies. The announcements include an executive order meant to “enhance” the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee and a national security memorandum aimed at addressing the risks posed by quantum computers to America’s cybersecurity. The memorandum directs federal agencies to “develop comprehensive plans” to protect American intellectual property, research and development and other “sensitive” technology from being acquired by America’s “adversaries,” the White House said.
A lack of guidance from the Bureau of Industry and Security on its recent Russia-related foreign direct product rules is creating compliance “chaos” for companies operating in the region (see 2203070039), Torres Trade Law said in an April alert. The firm said businesses have been “left to fend” for themselves “when it comes to compliance with the new FDP rules,” partly because BIS hasn’t yet published any enforcement actions or settlements for either rule.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on April 28 updated its list of Russian and Belarusian aircraft subject to export restrictions. The additions include six new planes operated by UTair. The agency in April issued temporary denial orders for Russian airlines Aeroflot, Azur Air and UTair because the airlines continued to fly without a license after their planes were added to the agency’s list of restricted aircraft last month (see 2204210043).
DOJ withdrew a proposed rule from interagency review April 27 that would have involved the Form 9 Notification for exports of firearms subject to the National Firearms Act. Exporters use the form to obtain approval to permanently export certain firearms and claim exemptions from transfer taxes. The agency, which had submitted the rule for review in February (see 2202020062), didn’t provide more information on the withdrawal.