CPSC Approves Major New Federal Safety Standard for Infant Sleep Products - Consumer Product Safety Commission
Rule Will Mean a Changed—and Safer—Marketplace for Parents
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a new federal rule that will ensure that products marketed or intended for infant sleep will provide a safe sleep environment for babies under 5 months old.
Beginning in mid-2022, any product intended or marketed for infant sleep must meet a federal safety standard—a requirement that does not exist today. The new mandatory standard will effectively eliminate potentially hazardous sleep products in the marketplace that do not currently meet a CPSC mandatory standard for infant sleep, such as inclined sleepers, travel and compact bassinets, and in-bed sleepers, which have been linked to dozens of infant deaths. Popular products formerly referred to as “inclined sleep products” include several styles that have been recalled over the years.
“What we’ve done today fulfills the most sacred of our obligations as Commissioners—to take steps to protect vulnerable consumers, including babies,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Today’s vote ensures that when a product is intended or marketed for sleep, it will indeed be safe for an infant to sleep.”
The new federal safety rule incorporates the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International (ASTM F3118-17a, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Inclined Sleep Products), with modifications to make the standard more stringent. The new standard now requires that infant sleep products that do not already meet the requirements of an existing CPSC sleep standard must be tested to confirm that the angle of the sleep surface is 10 degrees or lower and that they comply with the agency’s Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles.
CPSC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have long warned of the dangers of bed-sharing or co-sleeping. The new rule does not take any action against bed-sharing without sleep products. Instead, it shifts responsibility to manufacturers to assist parents who want to bed-share, by requiring them to produce only products that are safe to do so. The new rule also does not extend to items that are expressly not intended or marketed for infant sleep, such as swings and car seats. CPSC reminds consumers that the safest place for a baby to sleep is a flat, bare surface dedicated to the infant. Today’s rule ensures that products marketed for sleep meet these basic safety requirements. For more on safe sleep practices, click here.
CPSC is aware of a total of 254 incidents, including 21 fatalities, related to infant sleep products (inclined and flat), occurring between January 2019 and December 2020 reported since the SNPR. The hazard patterns associated with the infant inclined sleep products include design-related issues which resulted in infants rolling over and asphyxiating, children developing respiratory problems, or developing physical deformations due to extended period of use. Hazard patterns for the flat infant sleep products included infants falling out of the product, or suffocating on soft structure sides.
For more information on the Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (the Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act), which requires the Commission to issue consumer product safety standards for durable infant or toddler products, click here.
The Commission voted 3 to 1 to approve the standard on June 2, 2021. Later this year, the Commission expects to consider federal safety standards for crib bumpers and crib mattresses.______________________________________________________________________________
Important Update About the Aluminum Licensing Requirement - International Trade Administration
The United States Department of Commerce has published a notice in the Federal Register responding to comments about the Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis (AIM) system and confirming that the stay of the regulations entitled “Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis System” will be lifted on June 28, 2021. This means that aluminum import licenses will be required for entries of covered aluminum products beginning on June 28, 2021. For further information, please see Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis System: Effective date and Response to Comments in the Federal Register.
If you have any questions, please contact us at aluminum.license@trade.gov______________________________________________________________________________
CSMS #48463000 - FDA Adds Ethylene Oxide Sterilized Medical Devices Processed at Steril Milano facilities in Monza and Reggiolo, Italy to Import Alert 89-04 - CBP
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is aware of sterility issues with medical devices processed at the Steril Milano S.R.L. ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization facilities, in Reggiolo and Monza, Italy that have resulted in multiple recalls. The FDA has been notified that Steril Milano falsified graphs and parameters of sterilization certificates for a variety of FDA-regulated medical products dating back to 2016. As the FDA works with multiple manufacturers, international partners, and U.S. federal partners to investigate the situation, we are advising the import community of the potential impact this may have on imported medical devices. The FDA believes 97 medical device firms may be affected. If your entry is held at the port of entry due to possibly being impacted by this situation, we ask that the following documentation be provided via ITACS to help expedite entry review:
• Entry documents
• Copies of product labeling
• Sterility Certificates documenting contract sterilizers. ________________________________________________________________________________
Federal Register Notices:
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From the People's Republic of China: Negative Final Determination of Circumvention Involving South Africa
• Pressure Sensitive Plastic Tape From Italy: Final Results of Sunset Review and Revocation of Antidumping Duty Finding
• Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From India: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2018; Correction
• Floor-Standing, Metal-Top Ironing Tables and Certain Parts Thereof From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited Third Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Potassium Permanganate From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited Fifth Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From Taiwan: Affirmative Final Determination of Circumvention Involving Malaysia
• Certain Uncoated Paper From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Expedited Five-Year Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order
• Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line and Pressure Pipe From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From the People's Republic of China: Affirmative Final Determination of Circumvention Involving Malaysia
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From China and India
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Barium Chloride From China
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2019-2020
• Narrow Woven Ribbons With Woven Selvedge From Taiwan: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2019-2020
• 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2019-2020
• Certain Walk-Behind Snow Throwers and Parts Thereof From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation
• Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and Preliminary Determination of No Shipments; 2019-2020
• Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Products From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Rescission of Changed Circumstances Reviews
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber From Brazil: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2018-2019
• Certain Steel Nails From Taiwan: Preliminary Determination of No Shipments in the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2019-2020
• Utility Scale Wind Towers From Malaysia: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Certain Cold-Drawn Mechanical Tubing of Carbon and Alloy Steel From the People's Republic of China and India: Countervailing Duty Orders; Correction
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Thermal Paper From Germany, Japan, Korea, and Spain; Scheduling of the Final Phase of Antidumping Duty Investigations
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Large Power Transformers From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, Final Determination of No Shipments, and Final Successor-in-Interest Determination; 2018-2019
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Raw Honey From Argentina, Brazil, India, Ukraine, and Vietnam_______________________________________________________________________________
Fake AirPods and Cartier Bracelets Totaling $5.3 Million Seized by Cincinnati CBP - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
CINCINNATI –- On May 13th, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati intercepted two large shipments of Bluetooth audio devices and found 23,900 earbuds that appeared to be in violation of Apple’s protected AirPods configurations. Officers reached out to import specialists from CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise who ultimately determined the merchandise was not genuine and violated Apple’s recorded trademark rights.
Apple has configuration trademarks on their AirPods products and has recorded those trademarks with CBP. Furthermore, a company does not have to put the “Apple” wordmark or design on their products to violate the three-dimensional trademark. In this instance, further inspection of the earbuds revealed that their shape and design were identical to the Apple AirPods configuration.
The earbuds had a declared value of $5,280, but the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price would have been $3.8 million had they been genuine. The shipments, which were coming from Hong Kong, were destined to an address in Dayton, KY.
During the same timeframe, CBP officers inspected another shipment from Hong Kong and found 150 bracelets identical to the famous Cartier ‘Love Bracelet’ design. The shipment was destined to an address in New York City and would likely have been sold to local consumers. The bracelets were determined to be non-genuine by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise and as the design was identical to the recorded trademark, the merchandise was deemed counterfeit and seized on May 28th. The bracelets would have been worth $1.51 million had they been genuine Cartier products.
“Counterfeit products have huge economic impacts on our country, and are usually tied to criminal enterprises,” said Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie. “The profits from selling fake merchandise can be used to fund criminal activity and furthermore harms the U.S. economy. The officers here at Cincinnati continue to work diligently to protect our economy and the future of the United States.”
Consumers can take simple steps to protect themselves and their families from counterfeit goods:
• Purchase goods directly from the trademark holder or from authorized retailers.
• When shopping online, read seller reviews and check for a working U.S. phone number and address that can be used to contact the seller.
• Review CBP’s E-Commerce Counterfeit Awareness Guide for Consumers.
• Remember that if the price of a product seems too good to be true, it probably is.
If you have information concerning counterfeit merchandise illegally imported into the United States, CBP encourages you to submit an anonymous report through the e-Allegations Online Trade Violation Reporting System.________________________________________________________________________________
OTEXA: Announcements - Office of Textile & Apparel
[06/04/2021] – The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has determined to take action in the form of additional duties on products of Austria, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom in connection with the Section 301 investigation of Digital Services Taxes (DSTs). However, the additional 25-percent import duties on various products, which include certain textiles, apparel, footwear, and travel goods, will be suspended for a period of up to 180 days. See USTR’s DST webpage for further information and links to relevant Federal Register Notices, which include the lists of affected products
[06/08/2021] – April 2021 Textile and Apparel Import Report________________________________________________________________________________
USITC Makes Determinations in Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews Concerning Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate from China, Russia, and Ukraine - U.S. International Trade Commission
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty order on cut-to-length carbon steel plate from China or terminating the suspended investigations on this product from Russia, and Ukraine would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.
As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the existing antidumping duty order on imports of this product from China and the existing suspension agreements concerning this product from Russia and Ukraine will remain in place.
Chair Jason E. Kearns, Vice Chair Randolph J. Stayin, and Commissioners David S. Johanson, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative.
Today’s action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on these five-year (sunset) reviews.
The Commission’s public report Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate from China, Russia, and Ukraine (Inv. Nos. 731-TA-753, 754, and 756 (Fourth Review), USITC Publication 5205, June 2021) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.
The report will be available by July 9, 2021; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: https://www.usitc.gov/commission_publications_library.
BACKGROUND
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (USITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.
The Commission’s institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the USITC’s notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.
The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission’s prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.
The five-year (sunset) reviews concerning Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate from China, Russia, and Ukraine were instituted on November 2, 2020.
On February 5, 2021, the Commission voted to conduct expedited reviews. Commissioners David S. Johanson, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, Randolph J. Stayin, and Amy A. Karpel concluded that the domestic group response was adequate and the respondent group responses were inadequate and voted for expedited reviews.
A record of the Commission’s vote to conduct expedited reviews is available from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by telephone by calling 202-205-1802.