The World Customs Organization (WCO) has issued an amending supplement (No. 4, dated August 2003) to the Harmonized System Explanatory Notes (ENs). (Although not binding on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the ENs are followed by CBP whenever possible.) (This is Part IV of a multi-part series of summaries on this amending supplement. See future issues of ITT for additional summaries.)
On March 24, 2004, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the state of maritime security, focusing on the impact of security efforts on maritime commerce, and the additional measures that may be needed to further enhance maritime transportation security.
On March 15, 2004, the U.S. concluded negotiations to integrate the Dominican Republic into the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).
Broker Power provides quota prices on a monthly basis for certain textile and apparel categories from the People's Republic of China (China) that are publicly traded. (These publicly traded quota prices have been provided by a Hong Kong quota broker.)
According to the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, the Costa Rican government has stated that it will not require a copy of the Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) or Automated Export System (AES) record for U.S. exports until a solution to which the U.S. government agrees is negotiated. Embassy sources state that crafting such a solution will likely take quite some time.
| Proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2005 for border security and enforcement and immigration services | 03/30/04 | Subcommittee on Homeland Security; Senate Committee on Appropriations |
| Aviation security | 03/30/04 | Subcommittee on Aviation; Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation |
| Science and Technology | 03/30/04 | Subcommittee on Homeland Security; House Committee on Appropriations |
| U.S. Coast Guard | 03/31/04 | Subcommittee on Homeland Security; House Committee on Appropriations |
| Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection | 04/01/04 | Subcommittee on Homeland Security; House Committee on Appropriations |
| \"U.S.-China Trade: Preparations for the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade\" | 03/31/04 | Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection; House Committee on Energy and Commerce |
| \"A Review to Assess Progress with the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection's Targeting Program for Sea Cargo\" | 03/31/04 | Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations; House Committee on Energy and Commerce |
| \"A System Rued: Inspecting Food\" | 03/30/04 | Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization; House Committee on Government Reform |
| Mark up of: H.R. 3978, Designation of Foreign Terrorist Organizations Reform Act and H. Res. 576, Urging the Government of the People's Republic of China to improve its protection of intellectual property rights | 03/31/04 | House Committee on International Relations |
| Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Radiological Threats to the Homeland | 03/30/04 | Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security; House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence |
| \"Homeland Cybersecurity and DHS Enterprise Architecture Budget Hearing for Fiscal Year 2005\" | 03/30/04 | Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Science and Research and Development; House Select Committee on Homeland Security |
A U.S. Federal Government Web site, www.regulations.gov, has been established to allow interested parties to find, review, and submit comments on Federal documents that are open for comment and published in the Federal Register.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that a group of specialists believe the U.S. sanctions against Myanmar (formerly Burma) haven't achieved their aims and have been counterproductive in moving that country toward democracy. The Seattle-based Myanmar specialists have issued a report which concludes that U.S. sanctions aren't working because of Myanmar's growing ties with China, India, and its Southeast Asian neighbors. (WSJ Pub 03/25/04)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued messages on a number of antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty actions, many of which (marked by an * in the action column) were previously published in the Federal Register by the International Trade Administration (ITA) and summarized in International Trade Today.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its final results of the changed circumstances antidumping (AD) duty review of pressure sensitive plastic tape from Italy, concluding that Tyco Adhesives Italia S.p.A. (Tyco) is the successor-in-interest to Manuli Tapes S.p.A. (Manuli)