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 International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a notice stating that it has instituted a "market disruption" investigation of innersprings from China under section 421(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 USC 2451(b)) (Trade Act).

The Journal of Commerce Online (JoC Online) reports that on January 1, 2004, the Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka was scheduled to begin trials of an automated cargo clearance system aimed at speeding clearance of cargo, which is known as the electronic data interchange (EDI) project. According to the article, a Sri Lankan official stated that transshipment cargo at Colombo port would go paperless April 1, Sri Lanka's import cargo May 1, and exports August 1, 2004. (JoC Online, dated 12/24/03, www.joc.com)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message which clarifies its previously issued instructions on the Special Bill programming (new non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) and Master vessel operating common carrier (VOCC) bill types) for Sea Automated Manifest System (AMS) which was moved into production during the normally scheduled system outage on 11:00 p.m. EST Saturday, January 10, 2004 to 3:00 a.m. EST Sunday, January 11, 2004.

The ITA states that as of April 2001, Ichon Iron and Steel Company (Inchon) changed its name to INI.

In the December 31, 2003 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 1), CBP issued notices (a) modifying a classification ruling regarding a women's camisole, and (b) revoking or modifying six classification rulings on certain hand tools. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice stating that on January 9, 2004, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge announced the opening of the first designated Free and Secure Trade (FAST) lane on the Northern Border. CBP notes that this announcement was made during opening ceremonies held at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, MI, one of the most heavily used commercial crossings between Canada and the U.S.

On January 7, 2004, the Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Maritime Administration (MARAD) issued a press release announcing that the Cargo Handling Cooperative Program (CHCP), a partnership between MARAD and private industry, has released the results of testing it performed on five electronic security seals (e-seals) proposed for use on intermodal freight containers.

On October 18, 2003 the Bureau of Census (Census) implemented a final rule to, among other things, amend 15 CFR 30.7 to require the Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) of the duly authorized forwarding or other agent (if any) of a principal party in interest to be on the paper Shipper's Export Declaration (SED, Form 7525-V).

According to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Annex 300-B, Appendix 3.1, the 'regular' quota for the following Mexican categories expired on December 31, 2003: