The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued waivers which will grant Chile and Singapore access to U.S. government procurement markets for goods and services pursuant to the free trade agreements (FTAs) each have entered into with the U.S. USTR sources explain that these waivers were granted because the U.S. has determined that Chile and Singapore will grant U.S. products and suppliers the same access. (FR Pub 12/19/03, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/pdf/03-31372.pdf (Chile) and http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/pdf/03-31371.pdf (Singapore))

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.)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice on the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement's (SFTA's) 2004 Tariff Preference Level (TPL) for imports from Singapore of cotton or MMF apparel goods, or apparel goods subject to cotton or MMF restraints, the foregoing that are both cut (or knit-to-shape) and sewn or otherwise assembled in Singapore from fabric or yarn produced or obtained outside the territory of Singapore or of the U.S. ("3rd Country").

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated an antidumping (AD) duty investigation on ready-to-cook kosher chicken and parts thereof from Canada.

On December 30, 2003, President Bush issued Proclamation 7747 in order to implement the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SFTA). (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/31/03 news, 03123105, for BP summary announcing the issuance of Proclamation 7747.)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is announcing that effective immediately, ACS will transmit the header value of 'N' (instead of the header value of 'E') in the 'BN' application (record BN01, Position 5), in response to entry transactions with application identifier "WP" In-Bond.

The Commerce Department's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has issued its October 2003 Textile and Apparel Trade Balance Report (containing data through October 31, 2003). The Trade Balance Report shows imports and exports and calculates the trade balance for U.S. textile and apparel trade with the world and with major U.S. trading partners.

The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice which initiates an expedited review of the countervailing (CV) duty order on hard red spring wheat from Canada for Richelain Farms (Richelain).

The Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) has issued a proposed rule that would add to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) a definition for "person who offers or offeror" in order to codify long-standing interpretations of the applicability of the HMR to persons who offer hazardous materials (hazmats) for transportation in commerce.

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.