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) 

  • The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of one or more persons that have been placed on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) based on OFAC’s determination that one or more applicable legal criteria were satisfied. 
  • OFAC is publishing the names of one or more Russian nationals that have been placed on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) based on OFAC’s determination that one or more applicable legal criteria were satisfied. 
  • OFAC designated four members of an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) cell operating in South Africa who have provided technical, financial, or material support to the terrorist group. Treasury also designated eight companies owned, controlled, or directed by the individuals in this ISIS cell. Treasury remains committed to exposing and disrupting terrorist financing on the African continent. 
  • OFAC designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14014 one individual and one entity that facilitate weapons purchases for Burma’s military regime. This action, which is in conjunction with newly issued European Union sanctions, marks the second anniversary of the last general election in Burma on November 8, 2020, which was brutally overturned by a military coup on February 1, 2021. 
  • OFAC is publishing the names of one or more persons that have been placed on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List) based on OFAC’s determination that one or more applicable legal criteria were satisfied. 
  • OFAC is publishing the names of one or more persons and vessels that have been placed on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) based on OFAC’s determination that one or more applicable legal criteria were satisfied. All property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of these persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions 
  • OFAC designated Alex Adrianus Martinus Peijnenburg (Peijnenburg), Martinus Pterus Henri De Koning (De Koning), Matthew Simon Grimm (Grimm), and nine entities pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 for supplying illicit fentanyl, synthetic stimulants, cannabinoids, and opioids to U.S. markets through internet sales and a host of shell companies. 
  • OFAC designated two business associates of a sanctioned al-Qa’ida financial facilitator and external operations plotter. The two individuals designated today are Mohamad Irshad Mohamad Haris Nizar and Musab Turkmen, who conducted businesses activities to assist Ahmed Luqman Talib (Talib), who was previously designated by OFAC for facilitating the international movement of individuals and finances in furtherance of al-Qa’ida’s objectives.
    • Australian authorities arrested Talib on March 25, 2021, and days later charged him with plotting incursions into foreign states for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities. 
  • OFAC is designating two individuals for engaging in transportation and procurement activities on behalf of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). These individuals have acted on behalf of Air Koryo, an entity previously designated by OFAC for operating in the transportation industry in the DPRK economy. 

United States Department of Commerce (DOC)

  • The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) preliminarily determines that certain producers/exporters of certain hot-rolled steel flat products from the Republic of Korea received de minimis countervailable subsidies during the period of review. The DOC is rescinding this review with respect to 13 companies.  
  • DOC preliminarily determines that the sole mandatory respondent, Habas Sinai ve Tibbi Gazlar Istihsal Endustrisi A.S., a producer and exporter of certain hot-rolled steel flat products from the Republic of Turkey, did not make sales of subject merchandise in the United States at prices below normal value during the period of review.  
  • DOC preliminarily determines that Celik Halat ve Tel Sanayi A.S., a producer/exporter of prestressed concrete steel wire strand from the Republic of Turkey and sole respondent for this administrative review, received countervailable subsidies during the period of review.  
  • DOC and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) have determined that revocation of the antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders on stainless steel sheet and strip from the People’s Republic of China would be likely to lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping, net countervailable subsidies, and material injury to an industry in the US. Therefore, DOC is publishing a notice of continuation of these AD and CVD orders. 
  • DOC preliminarily finds that Soci Nouvelle des Couleurs Zinciques made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review. 
  • DOC determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to the producers and exporters subject to the administrative review of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod (threaded rod) from the People’s Republic of China during the period of review  July 29, 2019, through December 31, 2020. 
  • DOC preliminarily determines that there were no shipments of merchandise subject to the antidumping duty order on stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from the Philippines during the period of review February 1, 2021, through January 31, 2022, from any of the companies under review. The DOC invites interested parties to comment on these preliminary results. 
  • DOC and  International Trade Administration (ITA), is organizing an Executive-Led Clinical Waste Management Mission to Indonesia and Malaysia on September 11-15, 2023. Clinical Waste Management Trade Mission to Indonesia and Malaysia– originally scheduled for March 6-10, 2023, is now postponed to September 11-15, 2023. The application deadline is now June 30, 2023. 
  • DOC determines that Jilin Bright Future Chemicals Co., Ltd. sold certain activated carbon from the People’s Republic of China at less than normal value during the period of review (POR), April 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021. Commerce also determines that Datong Juqiang Activated Carbon Co., Ltd. (Datong Juqiang) did not make sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value during the POR.  
  • DOC is initiating a changed circumstances review to determine if Kader Exports Private Limited is the successor-in-interest to the Liberty Group in the context of the antidumping duty  order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp from India. DOC preliminarily determined that Kader Exports is the successor-in-interest to the Liberty Group. 
  • DOC finds that Qufu Xinyu Furniture Co., Ltd. did not make sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review October 9, 2019, through March 31, 2021; Shanghai Beautystar Cabinetry Co., Ltd. is part of the People’s Republic of China-wide entity; and Jiang Su Rongxin Wood Industry Co., Ltd. is the successor-in-interest to Jiangsu Rongxin Cabinets Co., Ltd.  

United States International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has received a complaint entitled Certain Automated Retractable Vehicle Steps and Components Thereof, DN 3653; 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. 
  • The USITC has issued a limited exclusion order against infringing products manufactured and/or imported by or on behalf of Proton Sports Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona, and a cease-and-desist order against Proton. The investigation is terminated. 
  • The USITC has determined to issue a limited exclusion order barring entry of certain electrolyte containing beverages and labeling and packaging thereof that are imported by or on behalf of the following defaulting respondents: Carbonera Los Asadores de C.V.; Comercial Trevin˜o de Reynosa, S.A. de C.V.; Distribuidora Mercatto S.A. de C.V.; H & F Tech International S.A. de C.V.; Leticia Ange´lica Saenz Fernandez; Yoselen Susana Martinez Tirado; Grupo Comercial Lux del Norte S.A. de C.V.; and Caribe Agencia Express, S.A. de C.V. The investigation is terminated. 
  • The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), DOC, in collaboration with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services, is announcing a public listening session on January 19, 2023. The purpose of the listening session is to seek public comments on proposed initiatives for collaboration between the agencies to advance President Biden’s Executive Order on ‘‘Promoting Competition in the American Economy’’.  
    • To assist in gathering public input, the USPTO and the FDA are announcing the establishment of a docket to track feedback received through this notice and a request for comments on these collaborative efforts. 
  • DOC received a countervailing duty petition concerning imports of paper file folders from India filed in proper form on behalf of the Coalition of Domestic Folder Manufacturers (the petitioner), the members of which are domestic producers of paper file folders. The Petition was accompanied by antidumping duty petitions concerning imports of paper file folders from the People’s Republic of China, India, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.  
    • DOC finds that the petitioner filed the Petition on behalf of the domestic industry because the petitioner is an interested party as defined in section 771(9)(F) of the Act. DOC also finds that the petitioner demonstrated sufficient industry support with respect to the initiation of the requested CVD investigation. 

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposal invites comments on updates to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule numbers for paper and paper-based packaging products in the Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research, and Information Order. In addition, this action proposes new language that allows assessment collection to continue even if HTS numbers change in the future. Comments must be received by December 7, 2022. 

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) warns travelers to not bring counterfeit consumer goods back from overseas trips after officers last week seized more than $77,000 worth of clothing bearing unauthorized designer brand logos at Washington Dulles International Airport. 
  • CBP’S Jones Act Division of Enforcement (JADE) held local training to raise awareness of the 102-year-old federal statute, officially known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officers, along with CBP import specialists and other personnel, were in attendance to learn the complexities of the act which governs U.S. maritime cabotage. 

The Maritime Administration  (MARAD)

  • The Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the renewal of the Voluntary Tanker Agreement Program and the publication of its revised Voluntary Tanker Agreement (VTA). The revised VTA replaces a prior version that was last published in September 4, 2008. After publishing the proposed text in the Federal Register in 2019 and hosting a public hearing in August 2020, MARAD has incorporated public input into the revised VTA. 

 

If you have questions about these updates, contact our Diaz Trade Law attorneys at info@diaztradelaw.com or call us at 305-456-3830.

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