Transport, Trade and Regulation News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released a final rule to change the labeling provisions for muscle cut commodities covered under the Country of Origin Labeling program.

The House of Representatives has approved a bill to allow construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport about 830,000 barrels of oil per day from North American oil supplies to U.S. refineries.

Demetrios Marantis, acting U.S. trade representative, and Pwint San, Myanmar’s deputy commerce minister, have signed a trade and investment framework agreement...

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that total funding available for the fiscal year 2013 Port Security Grant Program is about $93.2 million...

The European Union is sending a strong signal that it intends to improve service standards and efficiency at ports to spread traffic more evenly across the European waterfront and ease congestion.

Rebecca Blank, U.S. acting secretary of commerce, has honored 57 U.S. companies and organizations that export goods or services at the 2013 President’s “E” Awards ceremony...

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has presented to the U.S. Coast Guard a new report that found that 36 sunken vessels strewn across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat...

House Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday ramped up their opposition to President Obama’s proposed overhaul of the U.S. food aid program, saying the push highlighted a lack of national maritime strategy.

India and China have signed three memorandums of understanding regarding buffalo meat, fisheries and pharmaceuticals, as well as one agreement on feed and feed ingredients...

Freight and infrastructure capacity will be at the top of the agenda at the National Industrial Transportation League’s Spring Policy Meetings in Chicago May 23 and 24.

The U.S. and Tunisia have launched an initiative to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, boost trade and promote economic growth.

Rebecca Blank, U.S. acting commerce secretary, has wrapped up her week-long Latin America trade mission in Panama, which highlighted the importance of the U.S.-Panama bilateral trade relationship.

Workforce Florida has made available a $2 million Quick Response Training Challenge Grant for employers in Florida’s logistics and trade industry, according to Chris Hart IV, president and CEO of the statewide work force policy board.

Brazil has amended its import regulations regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy, paving the way for the ban on imports of breeding cattle and beef from the European Union to be lifted.

Pennsylvania’s Gov. Tom Corbett has awarded more than $6.7 million in Act 13 funding to 18 organizations making the switch to natural gas for their heavy-duty fleet vehicles.

President Obama has signed a presidential memorandum that will cut the time it takes to review and approve major infrastructure by months and even years.

Argentina has requested World Trade Organization consultations with the European Union regarding measures imposed by the EU and its member states that affect the importation and marketing of biodiesel.

A Government Accountability Office report criticizing a pilot test of Transportation Worker Identification Credential biometric readers does not diminish the justification for TWIC as a port security tool, a Coast Guard official said.

The Department of Justice’s investigations into bribery have gotten more aggressive as the U.S. partners with other countries and U.S. companies expand globally.

A bill to create a presumption that port and parcel delivery drivers are employees and not contractors and allow allegedly misclassified drivers to sue for damages is up for a vote Monday in the New Jersey General Assembly.

The Australian government has unveiled the next phase of its $60 billion road and rail infrastructure investment program as part of its 2013-2014 budget, inviting private investment via public-private partnerships.

The Japanese economy grew 0.9 percent in the January-March quarter from the preceding quarter, or at an annualized pace of 3.5 percent, in real terms, the Cabinet Office said in a preliminary report on May 16.

U.S. manufacturing and agricultural exports to Colombia are on the rise, as the trade agreement between the two nations reaches its one-year mark, according to Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis.

Members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee have passed the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act in a 36-10 vote.

Despite its efforts to boost grain yields for the 10th consecutive year, China — the world's largest rice consumer — is expected to become also the largest rice importer in 2013/14, according to a newly released report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Federal Maritime Commission voted 3-2 to move forward with changes to rules governing non-vessel-operating common carriers and freight forwarders.

The U.S. Senate today passed S. 601, the Water Resources Development Act of 2013, in an 83-14 majority vote, with three members abstaining. The bill now moves to the House.

The U.S. Grains Council; National Corn Growers Association; MAIZAR, representing Argentina producers and the maize supply chain; and ABRAMILHO, the Brazilian Association of Corn Producers, have signed...

The Irish presidency of the European Union and European Parliament negotiators have informally agreed on specifications for a new generation of digital tachographs for trucks and buses to boost compliance with hours-of-service requirements.

In March, Germany exported €94.6 billion (about US$121.8 billion) worth of goods and imported $97.6 billion worth of goods.

The European Commission is warning China that it is ready to begin antidumping investigations and subsequently levy sanctions against Chinese telecom equipment makers...

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board has approved final mediation and arbitration rules that establish a new arbitration program for shippers and railroads.

New regulations for the non-tank vessel response plans will be discussed at the 2013 National Maritime Salvage Conference, taking place from Sept. 9-12 at the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va.

Canada intends to deepen its trade and investment relations with Ghana, according to John Baird, Canada’s foreign affairs minister.

Import volume at the U.S.’s major retail container ports is expected to rise 3.3 percent in May compared with the same month last year, but growth could slow to a standstill by the end of the summer...

India’s trade deficit in April totaled $177.87 billion, widening from a deficit of $140.41 billion in April 2012.