The International Trade Administration (ITA) has made preliminary affirmative antidumping (AD) duty determinations that carbazole violet pigment 23 (CVP-23) from China and India is being, or is likely to be, sold in the U.S. at less than fair value.

The Commerce Department's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has issued its April 2004 Textile and Apparel Trade Balance Report (containing data through April 30, 2004). The Trade Balance Report shows imports, exports, and the resulting U.S. trade balance for yarn, fabric, made-ups, and apparel, both individually and collectively (total). The Trade Balance report displays this information for the world, as well as for major U.S. trading partners.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has issued a notice stating that it has come to its attention that some textile and apparel products may be shipped in excess of 2004 annual quota limits with the expectation that they will be allowed entry on January 1, 2005.

The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) held a quarterly meeting on June 18, 2004 in Washington, DC to discuss and receive updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials on various trade and customs issues.

The Census Bureau (Census) has issued an Automated Export System (AES) Broadcast that explains how a used vehicle should be filed if the required vehicle information is not accepted in AES (i.e., response code 596).

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message which outlines procedures that should be followed in preparing electronic invoices.

The Journal of Commerce reports that the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) will take longer to complete than planned because, among other things, the need for anti-terrorism features in the system has apparently set back its development. The article notes that while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) originally hoped to have ACE constructed over five years, with completion in 2007 or 2008, officials now state that with the added technology and the need for additional funding, ACE is likely to be on an eight- to ten-year schedule, which would have it completed by 2010 at the earliest. (JoC dated 06/21-27/04, www.joc.com.)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a reminder regarding the proper use of Special Program Indicator (SPI) "M" for fashion samples, as the agency has discovered several common errors during a recent review.

On April 8, 2004, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation amended and approved the Rail Security Act of 2004 (S. 2273). On May 21, 2004, the Committee reported S. 2273 (Senate Report 108-278) and the bill was placed on the Senate legislative calendar.