Under Secretary Lago Statement on Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Commercial Development Between the United States and Zambia - International Trade Administration
WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Commerce and Zambia’s Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on commercial development aimed to uplift trade between the two countries. As announced by Vice President Kamala Harris during her recent visit, key initiatives in the MOU include developing a shared roadmap for an improved business climate and undertaking strategic projects aimed to facilitate increased trade in key sectors and create jobs in both countries.
“Today’s signing marks the beginning of a new chapter for commercial ties between the United States and Zambia,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago. “By partnering to strengthen the business enabling environment, together we are poised to lay the groundwork for enhanced trade and investment opportunities that will benefit businesses, workers and communities in both of our nations. Now is the time to capitalize on the momentum in our bilateral relationship to deepen our commercial partnership and advance inclusive economic growth and prosperity in the United States and Zambia.
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Federal Register Notices:
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Certain Cold-Drawn Mechanical Tubing of Carbon and Alloy Steel From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited First Sunset Review of Antidumping Duty Order
• Certain Softwood Lumber Products From Canada: Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Biodiesel From Argentina and Indonesia; Scheduling of Expedited Five-Year Reviews
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Steel Wire Garment Hangers From Taiwan and Vietnam; Institution of Five-Year Reviews
• Carton-Closing Staples From China; Institution of a Five-Year Review
• Foundry Coke From China; Institution of a Five-Year Review
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Opportunity To Request Administrative Review and Join Annual Inquiry Service List
• Finished Carbon Steel Flanges From India: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2020-2021; Correction
• Biodiesel From Argentina and Indonesia: Final Results of Expedited Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Orders
• Certain Large Vertical Shaft Engines Between 225cc and 999cc, and Parts Thereof From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2020-2022
• Multilayered Wood Flooring From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited Second Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Advance Notification of Sunset Review
• Brass Sheet and Strip From France, Germany, Italy, and Japan: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Orders
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Hardwood Plywood From China; Scheduling of Expedited Five-Year Reviews
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Multilayered Wood Flooring From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited Second Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order
• Certain Hardwood Plywood Products From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Acetone From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2021-2022
• Ammonium Sulfate From the People's Republic of China: Continuation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders
• Certain New Pneumatic Off-the-Road Tires From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2021
• Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod From the Republic of Turkey: Final Results of the Expedited First Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order
• Certain Cold-Rolled Steel Flat Products From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2020-2021
• Biodiesel From Argentina and Indonesia: Final Results of Expedited First Sunset Reviews of the Countervailing Duty Orders
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Fresh Garlic From China; Scheduling of an Expedited Five-Year Review
• Certain Preserved Mushrooms From the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain; Supplemental Schedule for the Final Phase of Anti-Dumping Duty Investigations
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United States and New Zealand Meet Under Bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement - Office of United States Trade Representative
WELLINGTON – On Tuesday, April 4, the United States and New Zealand held productive discussions under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The two sides noted the strong and growing trade relationship between the two countries.
During the meeting, the United States and New Zealand discussed regional cooperation, including ways to support the U.S. APEC host year in 2023 and promoting high-standard outcomes through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) negotiations. The two sides also discussed their shared interest advancing sustainability, resiliency, and inclusivity as well as their shared interest in enhancing economic engagement with the Pacific Islands.
The meeting was led by Deputy United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Sarah Bianchi, and New Zealand’s Deputy Secretary Trade and Economic Affairs, Vangelis Vitalis.
Background
The United States and New Zealand signed their Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in October 1992. The TIFA Council is the primary mechanism for trade and investment discussions between the two countries.
In 2022, two-way goods and services trade reached $13.8 billion. U.S. exports of goods and services to New Zealand were $6.8 billion, up 22.7 percent from 2021, and U.S. imports from New Zealand were $7 billion, up 20.7 percent from 2021.
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Philadelphia CBP Seizes Nearly $200K in Counterfeit Auto Parts from China - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
PHILADELPHIA - Automotive repairs can be costly. Consumers might try to save a few bucks by buying cheaper parts online or by hiring a mechanic who offers to do the repair work at less than market value. But that decision could be even more costly if the auto parts fail because they are knockoffs.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a Philadelphia-bound shipment of counterfeit auto parts on Monday that consisted of 177 pieces, including air bag covers, aluminum hoods, front fenders and bumpers, and badges bearing trademarked logos of Chevrolet, Buick, and Dodge. The counterfeit auto parts were valued at $196,035 manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), had they been authentic.
The shipment initially arrived from China on March 2 and officers detained them after they suspected the auto parts to be counterfeit. CBP officers also submitted documentation and photographs to CBP’s trade experts at the Electronics Centers of Excellence and Expertise and to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
On March 13, NHTSA advised CBP that the auto parts did not comply with Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
On Monday, CBP’s trade experts determined that the auto parts were not authentic and that they bore infringing trademarks that had been recorded with CBP through the e-Recordation program (https://iprr.cbp.gov/s/).
CBP officers seized the shipment on Monday. No one has been criminally charged. An investigation continues.
CBP officers earlier seized 192 headlamps and 40 brake hoses on February 28 for failing to comply with DOT and NHTSA safety standards. The headlamps and brake hoses were shipped from Taiwan to an address near Los Angeles and were valued at about $2,500.
“Consumers in need of auto repairs should be wary of unscrupulous repair shops and greedy internet vendors that prioritize profits over the safety of their customers,” said Joseph Martella, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. “Consumer safety is a top priority to Customs and Border Protection and CBP officers will continue to seize counterfeit goods that threaten the health and safety of American consumers.”
CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. The international trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal. It steals revenues from trademark holders, steals tax revenues from the government, funds transnational criminal organizations, and the unregulated products potentially threaten the health and safety of American consumers. Counterfeit consumer goods may also be sourced or manufactured in facilities that employ forced labor.
During fiscal year 2022, CBP officers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents seized nearly 21,000 shipments containing goods that violated IPR, which equates to nearly 25 million counterfeit goods. The total estimated MSRP of the seized goods, had they been genuine, was over $2.98 billion (USD), or an average of over $8 million every day.
Additionally, HSI special agents arrested 255 individuals in 2022, obtained 192 indictments, and received 95 convictions related to intellectual property crimes. To learn more at HSI’s role in combatting counterfeiting, visit the National IPR Coordination Center.
Media can mine additional enforcement details by viewing CBP’s IPR webpage or by viewing previous years’ annual counterfeit goods seizure reports.
To report suspected counterfeits, visit CBP’s online e-Allegations portal or call 1-800-BE-ALERT. More information about counterfeit goods is available on CBP’s Truth Behind Counterfeits website and StopFakes.gov.
CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.
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Port of New York and New Jersey Regains Top Spot as Busiest Port in Nation - Port of NY/NJ
NY/NJ Port Handled More Cargo than Any Other Container Port in Country for Month of February and Year to Date in 2023
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced that the Port of New York and New Jersey moved the most cargo in the nation in February 2023 and year-to-date in 2023.
In February, traditionally the slowest time of the year for all U.S. ports due to overseas production slowdowns and closures related to the Lunar New Year holiday, the port remained busy by moving 571,177 TEUs, the highest amount of cargo among peer ports, exceeding the Port of Los Angeles by more than 83,000 TEUs and exceeding the Port of Long Beach by more than 27,000 TEUs. The container port’s status as the busiest in the United States comes after the seaport was the second-busiest in the month of January, when the port moved 645,430 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).
For the first two months of 2023, the port also was the busiest in the nation after moving a total of 1,216,607 TEUs. In particular, the port has been aggressively clearing out its empty container inventory with the removal of more than 390,000 TEUs so far this year. This evacuation of empty containers helps improve seaport operations and fluidity by ensuring more container terminal space for imports to be processed quickly at the port in the future.
“The Port of New York and New Jersey is again No. 1 in the nation,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “After years of unprecedented cargo growth, we are using this traditionally slow period to work with our port stakeholders who need to increase capacity throughout the regional supply chain. We expect a stronger second half of the year, as we have been in discussions with many importers that shifted volume to us from elsewhere and are now committed to keeping that volume in our gateway.”
“The Port of New York and New Jersey’s return to the top spot as the nation’s busiest demonstrates the port’s continued reliability and consistency as other ports experienced uncertainty and challenges recently,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Shippers and retailers know they can rely on the Port of New York and New Jersey to move their cargo quickly month-in and month-out, and that trust is a result of our deep relationships and collaboration with all links in the regional supply chain.”
The Port of New York and New Jersey was previously the busiest container port in the nation for four months from August through November 2022. In 2022, the port handled a total of nearly 9.5 million TEUs, its highest annual amount of cargo in its history. For more information on the port’s cargo volumes, including historic data, click here
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CPSC Issues Life-Saving Tips to Millions as Deadly Tornadoes Impact Multiple States - Consumer Product Safety Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is aware of the vast devastation caused by the deadly tornadoes that swept through multiple states over the weekend. With another round of severe weather, including possible tornadoes, threatening multiple states this week, CPSC is urging consumers to take steps to protect themselves and their families against carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fires.
Loss of Power—Using a Generator Safely
Consumers need to be especially careful when storms knock out electrical power. Portable generators create a risk of CO poisoning that can kill in minutes. CO is called the invisible killer because it is colorless and odorless. Exposed persons may become unconscious before experiencing CO-poisoning symptoms of nausea, dizziness or weakness, and it can lead to death.
An average of 85 consumers die in the U.S. each year from CO poisoning from portable generators.* A recent CPSC report, Fatal Incidents Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools 2011-2021, shows that African Americans are at higher risk, accounting for 23 percent of generator-related CO deaths, nearly double their estimated 12 percent share of the U.S. population in that time frame.
In the case of a power outage, follow these important life-saving tips:
• NEVER operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or shed. Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO.
• Operate portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet away from the house, and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter, while keeping windows and other openings closed in the path of the generator’s exhaust. Do not operate a generator on an outside porch or in a carport. They are too close to the home.
• Check that portable generators have been maintained properly, and read and follow the labels, instructions, and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.
• Look for portable generators that have a CO shut-off safety feature, which is designed to shut the generator off automatically when high levels of CO are present around the generator. These models may be advertised as certified to the latest safety standards for portable generators–PGMA G300-2018 and UL 2201–which are estimated to reduce deaths from CO poisoning by 87% and 100%, respectively. UL 2201 certified models have reduced CO emissions in addition to the CO shut-off feature.
Check CO and Smoke Alarms
• Working smoke and CO alarms save lives! Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup on each level and outside separate sleeping areas at home. Interconnected CO alarms are best; when one sounds, they all sound.
• Make sure smoke alarms are installed on every level and inside each bedroom at home.
• Test CO and smoke alarms monthly to make sure they are working properly, and replace batteries, if needed. Never ignore an alarm when it sounds. Get outside immediately. Then call 911.
Dangers with Portable Heaters
• Keep all sides of the portable heater at least 3 feet from beds, clothes, curtains, papers, sofas and other items that can catch fire.
• ALWAYS use a wall outlet; NEVER a power strip and NEVER run the heater’s cord under rugs or carpeting.
• Make sure the heater is not near water. NEVER touch it if you are wet.
• Place the heater on a stable, level surface, located where it will not be knocked over.
• NEVER leave running unattended in a confined space to reduce hyperthermia hazards.
• If the heater’s cord or plug is HOT, disconnect the heater and contact an authorized repair person. If any part of the outlet is hot, contact a certified electrician.
Dangers with Charcoal and Candles
• NEVER use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of CO. Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.
• Use caution when burning candles. Use flashlights or battery-operated candles instead. If using candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when leaving the room and before sleeping.
Dangers with Gas Leaks:
If you smell or hear gas leaking, leave your home immediately and contact local gas authorities from outside the home. Do not operate any electronics, such as lights or phone, before leaving.
Remember, stay informed, be prepared and keep safe!