LEARN MORE ABOUT FDA
On January 11, 2006, we co-host our first webinar with C. Humphrey & Associates. Entitled “Introduction to U.S. Federal Food Law and Regulations,” Mitchell Fuerst and Christine Humphrey will cover the fundamentals of food law and regulations, in English and Spanish. The program is geared toward food manufacturers and distributors, regulatory affairs personnel, and advertising and marketing professionals dealing with the conventional food and dietary supplement industries.

CONFIDENTIALITY GONE?
One of the obligations the U.S. agreed to under the WTO’s Framework for Security and Trade Facilitation is the sharing of shipment data with other signatory countries. While most companies have by now become comfortable with the sharing of a certain amount of manifest data (at least those who have not claimed confidentiality), one of the major concerns of industry in the coming year is just how business confidential information will be shielded from disclosure under this new arrangement? While the American federal agencies are under strong legal obligations to keep a company’s proprietary information confidential, the rules are quite different elsewhere. How will this be resolved?

CANADA & DUMPING
If you export Chinese made residential furniture to Canada, you will be interested in efforts to defeat the antidumping case which is likely to be
initiated in Canada later this year..

MORE C-TPAT STATISTICS
In recent public comments, Customs advised that 1,300 security audits have been completed and 400 companies are now certified. Another 2,460 companies are under review, and 136 companies have been granted Tier 3, or lowest risk, status. The C-TPAT best practices publication is due sometime in January, while the next C-TPAT seminar will be held in Costa Mesa, CA, March 1 through 3, 2006. The long promised web portal, with communication and self-help tools, is now expected to be launched at the end of March..!