Travel Advisory - Bayonne Bride to Close this Weekend for Ongoing Construction Project - Port of Authority of NY/NJ
The Bayonne Bridge will be closed this weekend – from 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 7, through 5 a.m. Monday, July 10 – to accommodate ongoing construction work on the crossing.
Once the bridge opens at 5 a.m. Monday, July 10, it will remain open until its standard 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily overnight closing beginning Monday night.
To receive real time traffic updates, travelers should register for Bridge and Tunnel Alerts at www.paalerts.com, call 511 or visit www.511NY.org or www.511NJ.org.
Presidential Proclamation to Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences and for Other Purposes -
WhiteHouse
A PROCLAMATION
1. Pursuant to sections 501 and 503(a)(1)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the "1974 Act") (19 U.S.C. 2461 and 2463(a)(1)(A)), the President may, after receiving the advice of the United States International Trade Commission (the "Commission"), designate certain articles as eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) when they are imported from designated beneficiary developing countries.
2. Pursuant to sections 501, 503(a)(1)(A), and 503(b)(5) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(b)(5)), and having received advice from the Commission in accordance with section 503(e) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(e)), I have determined to designate certain articles as eligible articles when they are imported from beneficiary developing countries.
3. Pursuant to section 503(c)(1) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(1)), the President may withdraw, suspend, or limit application of the duty-free treatment accorded to specified articles under the GSP when imported from designated beneficiary developing countries.
4. Pursuant to section 503(c)(1) of the 1974 Act, and having considered the factors set forth in sections 501 and 502(c) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(c)), I have determined to withdraw the application of duty-free treatment accorded to a certain article.
5. Section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(A)) subjects beneficiary developing countries, except those designated as least-developed beneficiary developing countries or beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries as provided in section 503(c)(2)(D) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(D)), to competitive need limitations on the preferential treatment afforded to eligible articles under the GSP.
6. Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that in 2016 certain beneficiary developing countries exported eligible articles in quantities exceeding the applicable competitive need limitations. I hereby terminate the duty-free treatment for such articles from such beneficiary developing countries.
7. Section 503(c)(2)(F)(i) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(F)(i)) provides that the President may disregard the competitive need limitation provided in section 503(c)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(A)(i)(II)) with respect to any eligible article from any beneficiary developing country if the aggregate appraised value of the imports of any such article into the United States during the preceding calendar year does not exceed the amount set forth in section 503(c)(2)(F)(ii) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(F)(ii)).
8. Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(F)(i) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that the competitive need limitation provided in section 503(c)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the 1974 Act should be disregarded with respect to certain eligible articles from certain beneficiary developing countries.
9. Section 503(d)(1) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)(1)) provides that the President may waive the application of the competitive need limitations in section 503(c)(2) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)) with respect to any eligible article from any beneficiary developing country if certain conditions are met.
10. Pursuant to section 503(d)(1) of the 1974 Act, I have received the advice of the Commission on whether any industry in the United States is likely to be adversely affected by such waivers of the competitive need limitations provided in section 503(c)(2) of the 1974 Act. I have determined, based on that advice and the considerations described in sections 501 and 502(c) of the 1974 Act, and having given great weight to the considerations in section 503(d)(2) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)(2)), that such waivers are in the national economic interest of the United States. Accordingly, I have determined that the competitive need limitations of section 503(c)(2) of the 1974 Act should be waived with respect to a certain eligible article from a certain beneficiary developing country.
11. Presidential Proclamation 8997 of June 27, 2013, suspended Bangladesh's designation as a beneficiary developing country for the purposes of the GSP. Presidential Proclamation 9333 of September 30, 2015, terminated Venezuela's designation as a beneficiary developing country for the purposes of the GSP. These proclamations made corresponding modifications to general note 4 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS). Those modifications included technical errors, and I have determined that modifications to the HTS are necessary to correct them.
12. Presidential Proclamation 9466 of June 30, 2016, implemented the World Trade Organization Declaration on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology Products (the "Declaration") and, pursuant to section 111(b) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3521(b)), modified the HTS to include the schedule of duty reductions necessary to carry out the Declaration. Those modifications included technical errors, and I have determined that modifications to the HTS are necessary to correct them.
13. Presidential Proclamation 8097 of December 29, 2006, implemented modifications to the HTS, pursuant to section 1206(a) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (the "1988 Act") (19 U.S.C. 3006(a)), to include changes to the schedule considered necessary or appropriate by the Commission to accomplish the purposes of section 1205(a) of the 1988 Act (19 U.S.C. 3005(a)). Those modifications to the HTS were set out in Publication 3898 of the Commission, entitled "Modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States under Section 1206 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988," which was incorporated by reference into Presidential Proclamation 8097. Annex I to that publication included a technical error, and I have determined that a modification to the HTS is necessary to correct it.
14. Presidential Proclamation 9549 of December 1, 2016, implemented modifications to the HTS, pursuant to section 1206(a) of the 1988 Act, to include changes to the schedule considered necessary or appropriate by the Commission to accomplish the purposes of section 1205(a) of the 1988 Act. Those modifications to the HTS were set out in Publication 4653 of the Commission, entitled "Modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States under Section 1206 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and for Other Purposes," which was incorporated by reference into Presidential Proclamation 9549. Annex I to that publication included technical errors, and I have determined that modifications to the HTS are necessary to correct them.
15. Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483) authorizes the President to embody in the HTS the substance of the relevant provisions of that Act, and of other Acts affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including title V and section 604 of the 1974 Act, do proclaim that:
(1) In order to designate certain articles as eligible articles when imported from a beneficiary developing country for purposes of the GSP, the Rates of Duty 1 Special subcolumn for the corresponding HTS subheadings is modified as set forth in section A of Annex I to this proclamation.
(2) In order to provide that one or more countries should no longer be treated as beneficiary developing countries with respect to one or more eligible articles for purposes of the GSP, the Rates of Duty 1 Special subcolumn for the corresponding HTS subheadings and general note 4(d) to the HTS are modified as set forth in sections B, C, and D of Annex I to this proclamation.
(3) The competitive need limitation provided in section 503(c)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the 1974 Act is disregarded with respect to the eligible articles in the HTS subheadings and to the beneficiary developing countries listed in Annex II to this proclamation, effective July 1, 2017.
(4) A waiver of the application of section 503(c)(2) of the 1974 Act shall apply to the article in the HTS subheading and to the beneficiary developing country set forth in Annex III to this proclamation, effective July 1, 2017.
(5) In order to make technical corrections necessary to reflect the suspension of benefits under the GSP with respect to Bangladesh and the termination of benefits under the GSP with respect to Venezuela, the HTS is modified as set forth in Annex IV to this proclamation.
(6) In order to make technical corrections necessary to provide the intended tariff treatment to goods covered by the Declaration in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 9466 of June 30, 2016, and to certain goods as recommended in Publications 3898 and 4653 of the Commission, the HTS is modified as set forth in Annex V.
(7) The modifications to the HTS set forth in Annexes I, IV, and V to this proclamation shall be effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the dates set forth in the relevant sections of Annexes I, IV, and V.
(8) Any provisions of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that are inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation are superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-first.
Long Beach Ranked Top North American Seaport - Port of Long Beach
Customer service, capital improvements net award for 19th time in 22 years
The Port of Long Beach was again named the Best North American Seaport at the Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards held June 29 in Singapore.
This is the third consecutive year and the 19th time in the last 22 years that the Port of Long Beach has won the title “Best North American Seaport” from Asia Cargo News and the previous event organizer, CargoNews Asia.
The award is bestowed by importers, exporters, and logistics and supply chain professionals. Ports are judged based on service quality, innovation, customer relations and reliability, among other factors.
“We take a lot of pride in working hard to meet the needs of our customers,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “It’s an honor to be recognized — we are especially proud of our commitment to providing the best service on the continent.”
“The Port of Long Beach is building the most modern facilities of any seaport in the country,” said Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzmán. “It’s part of our commitment to evolve with this changing industry, and we’re thankful our stakeholders have decided to give us this prestigious award.”
More than 15,000 industry professionals who read Asia Cargo News were invited to participate in the nomination and selection process for the awards. Awards were also given in many other categories, including shipping lines, container terminals and road haulers.
FTC Provides Comments Supporting Federal Communications Commission Initiatives to Allow Providers to Block More Illegal Calls - Federal Trade Commission
In a comment provided to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission expressed support for the FCC’s efforts to enable telecommunications providers to engage in call blocking at the network level to protect consumers from illegal calls. The FTC has long championed the development of technological solutions to thwart the rise in illegal calls and provider-based call blocking is a critical part of any long-term solution.
Provider-based call blocking at the network level is the most effective and efficient type of call blocking, as it stops illegal calls before they reach consumers. It also stops illegal calls from reaching any consumer, regardless of whether they have the newest cell phone or a traditional landline.
The FTC submitted its comment in response to an FCC notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking input on rulemaking proposals that would authorize two categories of provider-based call blocking: 1) when the subscriber to a particular telephone number requests that telecommunications providers block calls originating from that number; and 2) when the originating number is invalid, unallocated, or unassigned. The FTC supports the NPRM’s proposed expansion of provider-based call-blocking authority to stop calls in these two categories.
In addition to support, the FTC comment also provides specific ideas the FCC may wish to consider during the rulemaking process. The comment highlights that the problem of illegal calls is broader than “illegal robocalls” and includes calls made by a live operator that are abusive, fraudulent, or unlawful. The FTC encourages the FCC to clarify that its efforts are intended to allow blocking of all “illegal calls” -- not just robocalls.
The comment also points out that when consumers or businesses find themselves the victims of illegal Caller ID spoofing, providers need to clearly communicate how to resolve the issue. The same holds true if a consumer or business finds their phone number inadvertently blocked by providers.
The FCC also seeks information on how to best authorize providers to block “presumptively illegal calls.” In developing standards to guide provider-based blocking of “presumptively illegal” calls, the FTC urged the FCC to allow for some provider flexibility, rather than putting in place a rigid standard, to help industry and law enforcement stay a step ahead of the unlawful callers.
The Commission vote approving transmission of the comment to the FCC was 2-0. The staff contact is Janice Kopec, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2550.
ITA: Press Releases - International Trade Administration
7/05/2017 Request for Comments and Notice of Public Hearing Concerning an
Out-of-Cycle Review of Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda Eligibility for Benefits under AGOA. Petition filed by Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association. Public comments due July 21.