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The Department of Commerce updated and finalized a rule on January 31, 2024, concerning procedures related to discrepancies between past trade agreements like NAFTA and the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This update corrects a regulatory error where language was mistakenly duplicated in the legal text, specifically in section 19 CFR 356.8(b)(2). The correction clarifies who can request the continuation of trade reviews but notes that foreign governments are not authorized to make such requests. The changes are effective as of December 12, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it is immediately ending its policy of issuing liquidation instructions for certain antidumping and countervailing duty cases 15 days after a final decision is published, if no statutory injunction is requested. This policy was initially put in place in 2002 to give Customs and Border Protection enough time to process these cases and avoid any automatic liquidations. The policy change applies only to goods not originating from Canada and Mexico, as they were already exempt from the 15-day rule.

Commerce has issued an antidumping duty order on wood mouldings and millwork products from China following affirmative final determinations by both itself and the International Trade Commission. This means that these imported products were sold in the U.S. at less than fair value, causing harm to the U.S. industry. As part of this order, unliquidated entries of these products will be subject to antidumping duties calculated based on how much the merchandise's normal value exceeds its export price. Additionally, Commerce corrected a ministerial error in its calculations that affected some companies' dumping margins. The scope of the order includes various descriptions and exclusions of wood products as detailed in the appendix.

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has started an investigation into antidumping concerns related to methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) imported from China. These imports are believed to be sold below fair market value, potentially harming U.S. industries. The investigation was prompted by a petition from the MDI Fair Trade Coalition and aims to determine if these imports cause material injury to U.S. industry. A preliminary determination must be made by March 31, 2025, with subsequent findings reported to the Department of Commerce by April 7, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is holding free workshops in 2025 for fishermen and shark dealers. These workshops include Atlantic Shark Identification and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops aimed at meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining valid permits. The workshops are mandatory for certain individuals, like shark dealers and vessel owners, who use certain types of fishing gear. Additional online recertification workshops are available for those who have already attended in-person training.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced that Massachusetts is transferring 65,000 pounds of its 2024 commercial bluefish quota to North Carolina. This change complies with the rules of the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan and ensures North Carolina does not exceed its state quota. The revised quotas are 155,862 pounds for Massachusetts and 1,030,996 pounds for North Carolina. The transfer was mutually agreed upon by the two states and approved by the Regional Administrator.

The Department of Commerce is starting an investigation into whether methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) from China is being sold in the U.S. for less than it costs to make, potentially harming the U.S. industry. This decision came after receiving a petition from the Ad Hoc MDI Fair Trade Coalition, which includes BASF Corporation and The Dow Chemical Company. Commerce will examine the pricing, production factors, and economic impact of these Chinese imports. Interested parties can comment on the scope of the investigation and are encouraged to submit factual information to aid the investigation.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission have decided to continue existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on raw flexible magnets from China and Taiwan. These orders are in place to prevent unfair pricing and subsidies that harm U.S. industries. The review found that revoking these orders might lead to more dumping and subsidies, negatively affecting U.S. industries. Therefore, the orders will remain in effect, with Customs and Border Protection continuing to enforce them.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) is organizing its 186th public hybrid meeting, allowing attendance both in-person and virtually. This meeting will take place at the Buccaneer Hotel in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, from April 22 to April 23, 2025. It focuses on discussing various items on the agenda, such as updates on fishery management plans, reports from advisory panels, and public comments. The meeting aims to address important fisheries-related issues and will include a closed session to discuss personnel matters.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the Commerce Department, is inviting public comments on the collection of information related to permits for scientific research and enhancement under the Endangered Species Act. They are specifically looking for input on whether the collected information is useful, the time and cost involved, and how the reporting can be made easier. Comments must be submitted by February 18, 2025, and the feedback will help NOAA in managing information collection more effectively while ensuring that activities have minimal impact on endangered species.