The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held its second Secure Trade in APEC Region (STAR) Conference on March 5 & 6, 2004 in Via del Mar, Chile. Among other issues, the conference's agenda covered maritime security and air transportation security.

The Journal of Commerce Online (JoC Online) reports that the World Customs Organization (WCO) is urging its member nations to work together in an effort to boost transportation security in the wake of the Madrid commuter train bombings. WCO called for its members to implement without delay anti-terror measures it has developed. WCO also stated that it will speed up the pace of work conducted by its specialized bodies with regard to international transport security, physical security of containers, effective customs controls, etc. (JoC Online Pub 03/18/04, www.joc.com)

(a) preliminary AD rate of zero

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published a notice of final determination (HQ 562936, dated March 17, 2004) concerning the country of origin of a multifunction printer to be offered to the U.S. Government under an undesignated government procurement contract.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) has issued an amending supplement (No. 4, dated August 2003) to the Harmonized System Explanatory Notes (ENs). (Although not binding on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the ENs are followed by CBP whenever possible.) (This is Part II of a multi-part series of summaries on this amending supplement. See future issues of ITT for additional summaries.)

On March 22, 2004, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta addressed the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) meeting in Arlington, VA. Highlights from Mineta's remarks include (partial list):

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) Office of Automated Commercial Systems (ACS) has posted a notice to its Web site containing (a) a list, as of March 4, 2004, of companies/persons offering Air Automated Manifest System (AMS) communication and data processing services to the trade community, and (b) the Air AMS Respondent Checklist, as follows:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced a $19.3 million cooperative agreement with the American Trucking Associations (ATA) to expand ATA's Highway Watch program, which trains highway professionals to identify and report safety and security situations on U.S. roads.

On March 18, 2004, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that it had entered into a new partnership with Florida state House and Senate leaders and with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to strengthen security for personnel at Florida's seaports.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned Congress that tying trade agreements to labor or human rights standards amounts to protectionism that may ultimately harm the U.S. According to Greenspan, using such standards as a cure for the migration and outsourcing of jobs overseas could actually result in job losses. (WSJ Pub 03/12/04, www.wallstreetjournal.com)