U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published a final rule which amends the Customs Regulations effective January 5, 2004 regarding the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (sea, air, rail, or truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S. (See final rule for compliance dates for each transportation mode.)
The Commerce Department's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has issued its October 2003 Textiles and Apparel Import Report, which includes statistics on general imports (both quota and non-quota) of cotton, wool, man-made fiber, silk blend, and non-cotton vegetable fiber textiles and apparel.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its final results of the antidumping (AD) duty administrative and new shipper reviews of certain non-frozen apple juice concentrate from China for the period of June 1, 2001 through May 31, 2002. The ITA states that this review covers five producers or exporters and one producer/exporter.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has amended its amended final results of the antidumping (AD) duty administrative review of gray portland cement and clinker from Mexico for the period of August 1, 1994 through July 31, 1995 as there is now a final and conclusive Extraordinary Challenge Committee (ECC) decision in this case with regard to CEMEX, S.A. de C.V. (CEMEX) and GCC Cemento, S.A. de C.V. (GCCC).
CBP has announced the 2004 tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on Swiss or Emmentaler cheese, subject to agriculture licensing, provided for in HTS Chapter 4, Additional U.S. Note (AUSN) 25.
In the December 24, 2003 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 37, No. 52), CBP issued notices (a) proposing to revoke a ruling regarding the port where a protest was filed, and (b) revoking a ruling regarding merchandise subject to a tariff rate quota (TRQ) mistakenly filed as non-quota.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a notice stating that it has extended the comment period to February 5, 2004 (from January 5, 2004) for a notice it issued in November 2003 seeking comments to possible changes to the way it sets the Aviation Security Infrastructure Fee (ASIF). (D/N TSA-2003-16345), FR Pub 12/31/03, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/pdf/03-32196.pdf)
On December 30, 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a news release which details several additional protection measures that are intended to further strengthen protections against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease.
The December 22, 2003 Federal Register contains the semi-annual regulatory agendas for numerous federal government agencies. The agendas briefly summarize each agency's regulations that are under development or review, and include an estimated timetable and contact information.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a proposed rule that would ban infant bath seats that do not meet certain requirements. Written comments are due by March 15, 2004.