Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news:

 

 

 

 

U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) 

  • The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has received a complaint entitled Certain Location-Sharing Systems, Related Software, Components Thereof, and Products Containing Same, DN 3655; the Commission is soliciting comments on any public interest issues raised by the complaint or complainant’s filing pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure.
  • USITC has determined to review in part the final initial determination issued by the presiding chief administrative law judge  on September 9, 2022. The Commission requests briefing from the parties on certain issues under review, as indicated in this notice.
  • USITC has determined to review in part the final initial determination issued by the presiding chief administrative law judge on September 9, 2022. The Commission requests briefing from the parties on certain issues under review, as indicated in this notice.
  • USITC as received a complaint entitled Certain Cabinet X-ray and Optical Camera Systems and Components Thereof, DN 3656; the Commission is soliciting comments on any public interest issues raised by the complaint or complainant’s filing pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure.

U.S. Department of State (DOS)

  • The Department of State (DOS) has submitted the information collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 we are requesting comments on this collection from all interested individuals and organizations. The purpose of this Notice is to allow 30 days for public comment.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

  • The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has determined that there is an unreasonable risk of injury and death, particularly to children, associated with clothing storage units (CSUs) tipping over. To address this risk, the Commission is issuing a rule regarding the stability of CSUs. 

Department of Commerce (DOC)

  • The Department of Commerce (DOC) updated two limits for the European Union Steel Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) Program effective November 30, 2022 to align with production capabilities in Germany and Luxembourg. The effected steel HTS is 7301.10.0000 “Sheet Piling” under Chapter 99 HTS 9903.81.13. The quantity formerly listed for Country of Origin Germany has been reassigned to the quota limit for Country of Origin Luxembourg effective November 30, 2022.

United States Trade Representative (USTR)

  • The U.S. Trade Representative  (USTR) modified the actions in the Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation by excluding from additional duties certain medical-care products needed to address COVID, and subsequently extended certain of these exclusions. The current COVID exclusions — covering 81 medical-care products — are scheduled to expire on November 30, 2022. This notice announces the U.S. Trade Representative’s determination to further extend the 81 COVID exclusions for an additional three months.
  •  USTR announced the United States and United Kingdom jointly hosted the 6th U.S.-UK Small- and Medium-Sized (SME) Dialogue yesterday, bringing together business representatives from both sides of the Atlantic to identify ways to expand bilateral trade and investment and to enhance broad and inclusive SME participation in that trade and investment.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain raw sugar and sugar-based products produced in the Dominican Republic by Central Romana Corporation Limited. CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against Central Romana based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in its operations.
    • CBP identified five of the International Labour Organization’s 11 indicators of forced labor during its investigation:  abuse of vulnerability, isolation, withholding of wages, abusive working and living conditions, and excessive overtime.
  • CBP released a reminder for transportation carrier companies that transact with CBP’s ACE systems to please pay the Annual SCAC Code Renewal fee for this year (2022) by Monday, December 5th, to the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) if you have not done so already.  The NMFTA SCAC Code Renewal web link is SCAC Renewal and Application Wizard (nmfta.org).  If you have any questions about the renewal, please email [email protected]

Ocean Energy Management Bureau 

  • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in the Cook Inlet Planning Area Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 (Cook Inlet Sale 258), in accordance with the provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended, and its implementing regulations.

U.S. Department of  Energy (DOE)

  • The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of the preliminary analysis it has conducted for purposes of evaluating the need for amended energy conservation standards for non-weatherized oil-fired furnaces (NWOFs), mobile home oil-fired furnaces (MHOFs‘), weatherized gas furnaces (WGFs), weatherized oil-fired furnaces (WOFs‘), and electric furnaces (EFs).

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

  • The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) electronic system for propagative shipment processing will be offline for routine service maintenance, starting Friday, December 2, 2022, beginning at 6:00 p.m. EST, until Saturday, December 3, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. EST.
    • To ensure expedited agriculture clearance of propagative shipments during this time, we recommend the following:
      • For shipments requiring clearance on Saturday December 3, please contact the USDA plant inspection station that you currently work with regarding propagative shipments. This will avoid delays and ensure that all relevant information is available to conduct clearance activities. All shipments will be inspected per normal procedures; however, the document review, sample selection, and cargo release will take place outside of the system and will be processed electronically after the system is back online.

If you have questions about these updates, contact our Diaz Trade Law attorneys at [email protected] or call us at 305-456-3830.

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