WTO News states that the World Trade Organization's (WTO) General Council has given Cambodia another six months (to March 31, 2004) to ratify its membership agreement and join the WTO. (WTO News, dated 02/11/04, available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news04_e/gc_cambodia/11Feb04_.e.htm
The International Trade Administration (ITA) is amending its antidumping (AD) duty order, as well as its final and amended final affirmative AD duty determinations, on certain non-frozen apple juice concentrate from China as there is now a final and conclusive court decision affirming the ITA's remand determinations for this investigation.
In December 2003, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a notice announcing that the 2004 annual $125 user fee that is assessed for each permit held by an individual, partnership, association, or corporation is due by February 27, 2004.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice announcing that the U.S. intends to initiate free trade negotiations with Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia (Andean countries). (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/26/03 news, 03112620, for BP summary of USTR's press release announcing its Congressional notification on this matter.)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted to its Web site information on a series of public meetings that will provide an overview of the FDA's October 10, 2003 interim final rules on the registration of food facilities and the prior notice of imported food shipments.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a set of 40 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), dated February 12, 2004, concerning its final rule which amended the Customs regulations to require 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.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has amended its final results of the countervailing (CV) duty administrative review of stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from South Korea for the review period of January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted to its Web site a third version of its Questions & Answers (Q&A) document regarding the registration of food facilities, which is effective immediately.
(a) DSM has a de minimis rate of 0.04%; no cash deposits will be collected but suspension of liquidation will continue
Reuters has reported that U.S. lawmakers are unlikely to repeal export tax subsidies that violate global trade rules in time to avoid punitive European Union (EU) trade sanctions on billions of dollars of U.S. goods. According to Reuters, the EU plans to impose a 5% duty on more than $4 billion worth of U.S. exports beginning March 1, 2004 if President Bush has not signed legislation repealing the Foreign Sales Corporation-Extraterritorial Income (FSC-ETI) tax regime. (Reuters Pub 02/13/04, available at http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4355783)