The International Trade Administration extended to Oct. 12 the deadline for applications to participate in its trade mission to South Africa and Zambia. The original deadline was Oct. 5. The ITA invited sectors including: electric power and energy efficiency technologies, equipment and services; productivity enhancing agricultural technologies and equipment; transportation equipment and infrastructure; mining equipment and technology; and water. (See ITT’s Online Archives 12052541 for the ITA’s original notice, and 12081330 for the addition of the water sector to the trade mission.

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Oct. 1-2:

The International Trade Administration will lead a delegation of U.S. companies to participate in a Renewable Energy Policy Business Roundtable Dec. 3 in Tokyo. The Department of Energy will chair the round table, the ITA said. Following the roundtable, the delegation will travel to northeast Japan for site visits to learn firsthand the current condition of reconstruction after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami and the role of renewable energy in those efforts. According to the ITA, Japan’s decision to phase out nuclear power creates business opportunities for U.S. clean energy companies. Participants must register online no later than Oct. 31. Applications will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

The period of the quantitative limitation for preferential tariff treatment under the regional fabric provision for imports of qualifying apparel articles from Ecuador through July 31, 2013, is being extended, according to the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. For the period beginning on October 1, 2012, and extending through July 31, 2013, the aggregate quantity of imports eligible for preferential treatment under the regional fabric provision is 1,341,030,128 square meters equivalent, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 1. Apparel articles entered in excess of that will be subject to otherwise applicable tariffs, it said. Further information: Richard Stetson, 202-482-3400.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements published a new 12-month cap on duty- and quota-free benefits for textile and apparel articles imported from designated beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries, effective Oct. 1, it said in a Federal Register notice.

The International Trade Administration said it issued an Export Trade Certificate of Review to Sunwest Millin Company for the export of rice products. The certificate covers "all parts of the world except the United States," and includes rice and rice products including, but not limited to: harvest rice; rough rice; brown rice; milled, under milled, and unpolished rice, coated rice; oiled rice; enriched rice; rice bran; polished rice, head rice; broken rice; second head rice; brewers rice; screenings; and rice flour; but not including wild rice. The ITA said any person aggrieved by this determination may, within 30 days, bring an action in any appropriate district court of the U.S. to set aside the determination on the ground that the determination is erroneous (i.e., by about Oct. 28).

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Sept. 27:

The International Trade Administration announced it issued an Export Trade Certificate of Review to Colombia Rice Export Quota, Inc. (PAN-PEQ) for the export of rice products to Colombia. Specifically, the export certificate of review includes the following Colombian HTS Codes: 1006.1090—rice in hull, except for seed (arroz con cascara, except para siembra); 1006.2000—hulled rice, rough rice or brown rice (arroz descascarillado, arroz cargo o arroz pardo); 1006.3000—rice semi-milled or milled, whether polished or glazed (arroz semiblanqueado o blanqueado, incluso pulido o glaseado); 1006.4000—broken rice (arroz partido). The ITA said any person aggrieved by this determination may, within 30 days, bring an action in any appropriate district court of the U.S. to set aside the determination on the ground that the determination is erroneous (i.e., by about Oct. 24).

The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for Sept. 21:

The International Trade Administration said it will hold the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness on Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C. The meeting will be open to the public. The committee will discuss organizational and administrative issues including ethics and privacy requirements, and select a chairperson for the committee. The Committee will also consider current issues impacting the U.S. supply chain, which include legislative updates, transportation issues, trade negotiations, and logistics data, and develop its calendar for future work. A full agenda will be available here. Comments for consideration at the meeting are due by Oct. 12.