Port Truck Gate Schedule for Independence Day and Bloody Thursday Holidays
PierPass / https://rules.house.gov/bill/114/hr-1295-sa
Terminals at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have announced their schedules for Friday July 3 through Monday July 6, which includes the July 4th and Bloody Thursday holidays. The schedule is posted below, and a PDF of the schedule can be downloaded at http://www.pierpass.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/July-3-6-Schedule-2015.pdf.
Port Sees Strongest May in Nine Years
Port of Long Beach/ http://www.polb.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=1458&TargetID=1
Improving retail market propels continued Long Beach growth
Cargo rose at the Port of Long Beach by 6 percent in May, the third consecutive month of growth, the busiest month since October 2007, and the busiest May since 2006.
A total of 635,250 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containerized cargo were moved through the Port in May. Imports numbered 327,317 TEUs, a 4.8 percent increase from the same month last year. Exports decreased 7.4 percent to 135,855 TEUs. Empty containers rose 22.6 percent to 172,078 TEUs. With imports exceeding exports, empty containers are sent overseas to be refilled with goods.
Cargo volume is up partly due to a stronger retail market. The Port is also attracting new services in order to boost cargo growth.
Through the first five months of 2015, cargo is up 1.1 percent overall.
With an ongoing $4 billion program to modernize its facilities, the Port of Long Beach continues to invest in long-term, environmentally sustainable growth.
Joint Operation Seizes Critical Counterfeit Beauty Personal Care Products
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/2015-06-17-000000/joint-operation-seizes-critical-counterfeit-beauty
French and U.S. Customs seize $541,000 in Unsafe Consumer Products
WASHINGTON—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and French Customs General Directorate announced the results of Operation Bathe and Beaute, a bilateral Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement operation targeting counterfeit personal care products and electric personal care devices. The joint operation, conducted from April 8 through May 4, resulted in the seizure of 76 shipments of more than 31,000 counterfeit items for a combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $541,000.
“Operation Bathe and Beaute reflects our ongoing efforts to interdict illegal trade in counterfeit merchandise, which threatens the competitiveness of legitimate businesses and can jeopardize consumer health and safety,” said Assistant Commissioner Brenda Smith of CBP’s Office of International Trade.
“After the successful Core Systems operation in late 2013, this fourth joint operation between CBP and French Customs demonstrates once again how important it is to exchange information and act together to fight organized crime in a global world” said François Richard, French Customs Attaché.
The four week operation focused on personal care products and devices that potentially introduce dangerous chemicals and bacteria to the skin and eyes, burning or electrocution due to non-standardized wiring and ineffectual family planning protection to the consumer. Products seized during this event included make-up, condoms, hair removal devices, contact lenses, hair curlers, straighteners and skin cleansing devices.
International collaboration including joint customs operations and the sharing of trade intelligence, are key to protecting the trademark holder, the consumer, and the economy
Operation Bathe and Beaute is the most recent example of the effectiveness of joint operations between customs authorities. In 2013, CBP joined French and German customs authorities to target pharmaceuticals.
Throughout Operation Bathe and Beaute, the two customs agencies shared trend analyses and information generated from the seizures, as appropriate. The shared seizure data will also be used for targeting in the future.
The shared information enables the agencies to improve targeting effectiveness, detect transshipment of counterfeit personal care products and personal care electronic device shipments, and also to identify networks and common shipping methods for these product types.
Images of seizures from the operation are available on CBP’s Flickr site.
Certain Steel Nails from Korea, Malaysia, Oman,Taiwan, and Vietnam Injure U.S. Industry, Says USITC
USITC / http://usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2015/er0616ll462.htm
Commission The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain steel nails from Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, and Vietnam that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the government of Vietnam.
Vice Chairman Dean A. Pinkert and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson, David S. Johanson, and Rhonda K. Schmidtlein voted in the affirmative. Chairman Meredith M. Broadbent voted in the negative. Commissioner F. Scott Kieff did not participate in these investigations.
As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue a countervailing duty order on imports of these products from Vietnam and antidumping duty orders on imports of these products from Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
The Commission’s public report Certain Steel Nails from Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, and Vietnam (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-521 and 731-TA-1252-1255 and 1257 (Final), USITC Publication 4541, July 2015) will contain the views of the Commissioners and information developed during the investigations.
The report will be available by July 27, 2015; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.
U.S. to Destroy More than One Ton of Confiscated Ivory
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / http://www.fws.gov/
On the morning of June 19, 2015, in Times Square, New York City, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with wildlife and conservation partners, will host its second ivory crush event. One ton of ivory we seized during an undercover operation, plus other ivory from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, will be crushed in front of VIPs and the general public.
Why Crush Ivory?
Crushing our ivory sends a message to ivory traffickers and their customers that the United States will not tolerate this illegal trade. This crush will also educate consumers, in the United States and around the world, and urge them not to buy products made with ivory that could be contributing to the poaching crisis.
Our first crush took place in Denver, Colorado, on November 14, 2013. We destroyed six tons of elephant ivory that was seized over the years by our law enforcement special agents and wildlife inspectors in connection with violations of U.S. wildlife laws and treaties. Since that crush, several governments throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, have also destroyed ivory, joining with us to highlight this worldwide crisis and emphasizing that only a worldwide solution will stop wildlife poaching.
The Poaching Crisis
Elephant poaching is at its highest level in decades and now exceeds the species’ reproductive potential. Elephants are being slaughtered across Africa to meet the demand for ivory faster than they can reproduce.
The poaching crisis not only takes a toll on wildlife, it affects communities as well. Insurgents and organized crime groups cash in on the money to be made from ivory, killing tens of thousands of elephants while gunning down park rangers who work to protect them. This wholesale slaughter of elephants is a destabilizing force for African range states that rely heavily on wildlife tourism. Many of the organized criminal gangs at the center of the trafficking rings are also implicated in the trafficking of drugs, arms, and even people.
What can you do to help?
The United States is among the world’s largest consumers of wildlife products – both legal and illegal. We have a significant ivory market, and we must continue to be vigilant in combating illegal ivory trade. You can help by not buying items that contain elephant ivory and by spreading this message to your family and friends. The work of law enforcement is an important part of the overall effort to stop wildlife poaching, but the only way to truly stop this slaughter is by ending consumer demand for ivory.
Crush Partners
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is grateful to the following organizing partners in the Ivory Crush at Times Square: Wildlife Conservation Society, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, and Powerscreen; and to our other partners in the Crush and the effort to end wildlife trafficking: African Wildlife Foundation, The Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Natural Resources Defense Council, and World Wildlife Fund.
Maritime Summit between Commission, US and China Boosts Cooperation
Federal Maritime Commission / http://www.fmc.gov/2nd_maritime_summit_6-18-2015/
Representatives from the maritime regulatory authorities of the European Union, the People’s Republic of China and the United States met today in Brussels to discuss antitrust and regulatory issues in maritime transport. The delegates confirmed their renewed intention to cooperate on these matters. Hosted by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition, this was the second official meeting between the three authorities, following the first maritime regulatory summit that took place in Washington in December 2013.
The discussions focused on the global trend towards increased cooperation in the liner shipping market, as well as on regulatory and policy issues related to ports. With the continued growth in scope of carriers' cooperation, the authorities considered that monitoring of the sector warrants ever closer contact and better communication between competition and regulatory authorities.
Delegates also discussed their respective enforcement activities and highlighted each authority's priority issues such as port congestion.
The summit concluded with the following joint statement by the European Commission, the Federal Maritime Commission and the Chinese Ministry of Transport: "Today's exchanges have been a valuable opportunity to foster cooperation between our three authorities. We have identified areas of common importance and we look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue."
The Federal Maritime Commission is the federal agency responsible for regulating the nation’s international ocean transportation for the benefit of exporters, importers, and the American consumer. The FMC’s mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable international ocean transportation system while protecting the public from unfair and deceptive practices.
FDA Takes Action to Protect Consumers from Potentially Dangerous Counterfeit Medicines and Devices Sold Online
Food & Drug Administation / http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm451755.htm
International Operation Pangea VIII combats the unlawful sale and distribution of illegal prescription medicines and medical devices on the Internet
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in partnership with international regulatory and law enforcement agencies, took action this week against more than 1,050 websites that illegally sell potentially dangerous, unapproved prescription medicines and medical devices to consumers. These actions include the issuance of regulatory warnings to the operators of offending websites and seizure of illegal medicines and medical devices worldwide.
The action occurred as part of the Eighth Annual International Internet Week of Action (IIWA), a global cooperative effort, led by INTERPOL, to combat the unlawful sale and distribution of illegal and potentially counterfeit medical products on the Internet.
As part of this year’s international effort – Operation Pangea VIII – the FDA sent Warning Letters to the operators of nearly 400 websites offering unapproved or misbranded prescription medicines to U.S. patients and to nine firms distributing unapproved or uncleared medical devices online. FDA inspectors, in collaboration with other federal agencies, screened and seized illegal drug products and medical devices received through International Mail Facilities (IMFs) in Chicago, Miami and New York during the IIWA. These screenings resulted in 814 parcels being detained and referred to appropriate FDA offices for follow up. Parcels found in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act will be refused entry into the country.
Multiple centers and offices within the FDA participated in the enforcement action, which ran from June 9 to June 16, 2015.
The goal of Pangea VIII – which involves law enforcement, customs and regulatory authorities from 115 countries – was to identify the makers and distributors of illegal prescription drug products and medical devices and to remove these products from the supply chain.
“Our efforts to protect the health of American patients by preventing the online sale of potentially dangerous illegal medical products will not cease,” said George Karavetsos, director of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations. “Operation Pangea VIII provides yet another avenue for the FDA to engage with our international law enforcement partners on these critical issues. We are not only pleased to be a part of this strong international enforcement effort, but resolved to do everything we can to ensure that the global problem of illegal Internet drug and device sales is deterred as a result.”
Some of the unapproved prescription drugs targeted during Operation Pangea VIII that purport to be FDA-approved generic versions of brand name drugs and are sold illegally by the websites included: “Generic Nolvadex,” “Generic Meridia,” “Generic Valium,” “Generic Truvada” and “Generic Advair Diskus.”
Some of the devices sold illegally online and targeted during Operation Pangea VIII included “The Ondamed System” and “Colon Care Products of PA Open System Colon Hydrotherapy Device (Grace)” as well as illegal dermal fillers such as “Interfall Hydrogel polyacrylamide dermal filler,” “Dermafil hyaluronic acid dermal filler” and “Teosyal hyaluronic acid dermal filler.”
Preliminary findings from drug products screened at IMFs show that certain drug products from abroad, such as antidepressants, hormone replacement therapies, sleep aids and other drugs to treat erectile dysfunction, high cholesterol and seizures were en route to U.S. consumers.
In addition to health risks, illegal online pharmacies and illegal online medical device retailers pose other risks to consumers, including credit card fraud, identity theft and computer viruses. The FDA encourages consumers to report suspected criminal activity at www.fda.gov/oci.
The FDA also provides consumers with information to identify an illegal pharmacy website and advice on how to find a safe online pharmacy through BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy.
The IIWA is a collaborative effort between the FDA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, INTERPOL, the World Customs Organization, the Permanent Forum of International Pharmaceutical Crime, Heads of Medicines Agencies Working Group of Enforcement Officers, the pharmaceutical industry and national health and law enforcement agencies from 111 participating countries.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation and for regulating tobacco products.
CPSC Approves New Safety Rule for Seasonal and Decorative Lights
Consumer Product Safety Commission / http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/News-Releases/2015/CPSC-Approves-New-Safety-Rule-for-Seasonal-and-Decorative-Lights/
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Effective June 3, 2015, a new safety rule for seasonal and decorative lights allows CPSC to remove hazardous products from the market more effectively, but does not require manufacturers to do additional testing or paperwork. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) unanimously approved (5-0) and published this new safety rule on May 4, 2015.
Seasonal and decorative lighting products include lighted decorations, such as stars, wreaths, electric candles without shades, light sculptures, blow-molded (plastic) figures and animated figures incorporating lights. Under the new rule, if these products lack any of three readily observable characteristics described in the UL 588 voluntary standard─minimum wire size, sufficient strain relief, or overcurrent protection─CPSC will deem the products to present a substantial product hazard to consumers. The new rule streamlines CPSC’s ability to stop shipments of nonconforming decorative lights at U.S. ports of entry and secure recalls for hazardous lights that have been sold.
Seasonal and decorative lighting products have been responsible for hundreds of fire- and shock-related deaths and injuries over the years. CPSC is aware of 132 fatal incidents that occurred from 1980 through 2014 which led to 258 deaths, and 1,405 nonfatal incidents associated with seasonal and decorative lighting products.
Since 1974, CPSC staff has announced 47 voluntary recalls of seasonal and decorative lighting products, involving a total of 3.6 million units. In addition to product recalls, CPSC staff has stopped at least 127 shipments of noncompliant seasonal and decorative lighting products at the ports, involving about 31 companies and a total of about 200,000 lighting units.
Over the years since that time, a voluntary standard was put in place and the average number of incidents and deaths relating to seasonal and decorative lighting products declined. The new rule incorporates elements of the voluntary standard and will streamline CPSC’s efforts to prevent the distribution and sale of nonconforming seasonal and decorative lighting products.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) provided CPSC with the authority to specify, by rule, for any consumer product or class of consumer products, characteristics whose existence or absence shall be deemed a substantial product hazard.
Due to the Commission’s ruling that lights lacking any of these safety characteristics are a substantial product hazard, manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers must report these hazards to the CPSC. Such lighting products are also subject to corrective action and now must be refused admission into the United States. Additionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to seize nonconforming lighting products offered for import.