International Trade Reporter: Current Reports Index-Summary

FABRIC

See TEXTILES

FDA

See FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA)

FIJI

– Special 301, USTR seeks public comments on out-of-cycle IPR review, 1384

FINANCIAL SERVICES

– Banks

See BANKING

– Information providers, China issues new rules, 614

FINLAND

– Intellectual property, U.S. to cooperate to streamline patent processing and promote patent protection, 921

FINSA (FOREIGN INVESTMENT NATIONAL SECURITY ACT)

See generally CFIUS REVIEW

FISHING INDUSTRY

– Doha Round, Valles releases new draft negotiating text on subsidies, 27
– Taxation, Russia amends measure offering tax breaks to fishery sector, 45

FLORIDA

– Food safety, produce firm and owner plead guilty to alleged scheme to smuggle peas contaminated with pesticide residues from Guatemala (S.D. Fla.), 54

FOIA (FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT)

See generally ACCESS TO INFORMATION

FOOD

– Almond crunch, CBP classification as prepared almonds correct (CIT), 653
– Codex Alimentarius, Food Additives Comm., meeting to review draft U.S. positions, In Brief, 152
– Country-of-origin labeling (COOL)

See generally COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

– Dairy products

See DAIRY PRODUCTS

– Doha Round

See AGRICULTURAL EXPORT SUBSIDIES, DOHA ROUND

– Equivalency, DeLauro (D-Conn) expresses concerns about USDA process, 1031
– Fish

See SEAFOOD

– Fruits

See FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

– Meat and poultry

See MEAT AND POULTRY
– – Mad cow disease

See MAD COW DISEASE

– Peanut butter from China, U.S. imports from 11 companies banned, 220
– Poorer consumers seeing no benefit from sharp drop in global food commodity prices, UN official says, 537
– Safety standards for imports

– – China approves new food safety law and creates central oversight commission, 322
– – Dingell (D-Mich), Pallone (D-NJ), and Stupak (D-Mich) introduce measure to give FDA more funding and new powers, 183; further action, see LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 2749
– – Durbin (D-Ill) and Gregg (R-NH) introduce measure requiring safety verification, 317; Senate not expected to take up issue until next year, 1421
– – Enforcement policy, federal agencies need to address coordination and communication gaps, GAO report finds, 1421
– – India, FDA opens offices in New Delhi and Mumbai to improve safety and quality of imports, 100
– – Reform measure to improve FDA regulation of domestic and imported foods possible, consumer advocate says, 411

– Seafood

See SEAFOOD

– Toys, European Parliament approves restrictions on putting food or candy in toys, 15
– Vegetables

See FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

– Wheat flour, Argentina initiates WTO dispute proceedings against antidumping duty order imposed by Chile, 681

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA)

– Budget, FY2010 appropriations

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 2997

– Safety standards for imports

– – Dingell (D-Mich), Pallone (D-NJ), and Stupak (D-Mich) introduce measure to give agency more funding and new powers, 183; further action, see LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 2749
– – India, FDA opens offices in New Delhi and Mumbai to improve safety and quality of imports, 100
– – Reform measure to improve FDA regulation of domestic and imported foods possible, consumer advocate says, 411

FOOTWEAR

– Non-sports footwear from China, Argentina slaps antidumping duties on shoes, 932

FOREIGN INVESTMENT

– Air transportation, India considering proposal to allow foreign airlines to invest in Indian carriers, 189
– Antimonopoly law reflects concerns of Chinese government about investment in key industries, 545
– Arbitration, Chevron brings claim against Ecuador in long-standing environmental dispute, 1332
– Bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and free trade agreement (FTA) investment provisions, House Ways and Means panel hears conflicting views, 667; public interest groups and business groups offer conflicting opinions to USTR, 1089
– CFIUS review process

See CFIUS REVIEW

– Conferences and meetings, U.S.-Iraq Bus. and Investment Conf., In Brief, 1372
– Discrimination, OECD meeting attendees pledge to respect freedom to invest, 481
– Global FDI

– – OECD report, first quarter 2009, global economic crisis caused direct investment in wealthiest economies to plunge 50 percent, 915
– – UNCTAD issues revised figures showing smaller decline than previously estimated, 739; survey foresees sharp drop in 2009 with recovery in 2010-2011, 1094
– – World Ass'n of Investment Promotion Agencies president cites sharp downturn in 2009, 1423

– Global Technology and Innovation Fund, OPIC proposal, In Brief, 1463
– Mining, U.S. and EU jointly raise concerns about additional restrictions on mine operator activities in Indonesia, 1434
– Model BIT, advisory committee reports on review of provisions of existing document, 1351
– Oversight, FCC, USDA, and DOT should review data to detect changes in ownership of U.S. assets subject to restriction or disclosure requirements, GAO says, 738
– Registration, businesses applaud Mexican program allowing new companies to register online, 1166
– Reserve funds, Russia bans investments in international debt instruments, 350
– Rio Tinto executives, arrest in China on state secrets charges sparks concern about business protocol, 1004; case details remain cloudy amid allegations of impropriety, 1098
– Strategic companies, Russia adopts new regulations limiting foreign acquisition, 1466
– Surveys, BEA outlines plans for redesigned quarterly survey of foreign acquisitions, 1199
– Tax incentives

– – Belarus offers new tax breaks to domestic and foreign investors, 1128; government aims to reduce capital gains income taxes for foreign organizations, 1427
– – South Korea reduces red tape for access, 422

– Total investment, India approves more uniform calculation guidelines, 250

FOREIGN INVESTMENT NATIONAL SECURITY ACT (FINSA)

See generally CFIUS REVIEW

FRAGRANCES

– Toys, European Parliament approves restrictions on use, 15

FRANCE

– Antitrust, OECD gives government mixed review, 646
– Bailout of automobile industry, European Comm'n expresses concerns over possible violations of single market rules in government plan, 245; Volvo Group might not be able to accept emergency loan due to EU single market rules, 245; European Comm'n approves plan, 318
– Climate change, carbon leakage tax, government to propose levy for products from countries that do not take measures to reduce GHGs, Sarkozy says, 1283
– Copyright protection, council approves controversial law giving special judicial authority power to cut off internet access of illegal downloaders, 1465
– GMOs, government refuses to lift ban on MON 810 maize, 246
– Port security, government proposes taxing commercial traffic to pay for security services and equipment, 1429

FRAUD

– Ex-Im Bank

– – Eighth individual sentenced in connection with $1.3M scheme (C.D. Cal.), 260
– – IG claims opening 35 investigations in semiannual report to Congress, 912

– Peas contaminated with pesticide residues from Guatemala, produce firm and owner plead guilty to alleged smuggling scheme (S.D. Fla.), 54
– School paper from China, Senators request DOC to reopen and reconsider dumping case because of alleged fraud by producer, 757

FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS (FTAs)

– Bilateral deals

See specific countries

– CAFTA-DR

See CENTRAL AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (CAFTA-DR)

– Priorities, Obama administration and new Congress should focus on approving pending agreements before launching new initiatives, U.S. Chamber of Commerce says, 9; Natl. Ass'n of Mfrs. wants to work with White House, 607; White House developing action plan, 636
– Surveys, Pew Research Ctr. poll finds support for agreements recovering after declining sharply last year, 607
– 2009 Outlook, Special Report, 121

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)

See generally ACCESS TO INFORMATION

FRUIT JUICES

– Antitrust, China rejects Coca-Cola bid to purchase nation's largest juice maker, 423
– Orange juice exports, Brazil

– – Dumping, DOC reasonably allowed offset for drawback refunds (Fed. Cir.), 53; USTR seeking public comment on request for WTO consultations, In Brief, 860; Brazil to seek establishment of WTO dispute panel, 1166; U.S. blocks request for dispute panel scrutiny of ADD order, 1211; Brazil to renew request for WTO dispute panel, 1257; USTR seeks comments on Brazil's request, In Brief, 1258; Brazil's 2nd request for WTO dispute panel accepted, 1328
– – Zeroing, USTR seeking public comment on request for WTO consultations, 55; Brazil broadens WTO dispute case, 757; USTR seeking public comment on request for WTO consultations, In Brief, 860

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

– Bananas, EU import regime, Latin American exporters jointly chastise failure to end illegal discriminatory tariffs, 155; EU official expresses optimism on reaching agreement while Latin American officials express skepticism, 484
– Grapefruit from Chile, APHIS to allow imports, In Brief, 491
– Hass avocados

– – Mexico, APHIS publishes final rule eliminating fruit fly trapping requirements, 932
– – Peru, APHIS rule amendments, In Brief, 82

– Inspections and investigations, Canada, CBP inspection protocol for entire northern border, In Brief, 82
– Oranges from Chile, APHIS to allow imports, In Brief, 491
– Papaya from Colombia and Ecuador, APHIS proposal, In Brief, 551
– Peas from Guatemala, produce firm and owner plead guilty to alleged scheme to smuggle contaminated snow peas and sugar snap peas (S.D. Fla.), 54
– Zambia, APHIS rule amendments on squash and courgettes imports, In Brief, 30

FTAs

See FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS (FTAs)

FURNITURE

– Endangered species, Chinese company pleads guilty to smuggling baby cribs made of internationally protected ramin (D.N.J.), 621
– Import duties, Brazil and Argentina plan to raise common duties, 582