Department of Commerce December 9, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On October 7, 2009, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') published the preliminary calculation of the 2009 expected non-market economy (``NME'') wages, and provided the public with an opportunity to comment on potential clerical errors. See Expected Non-Market Economy Wages: Request for Comments on 2009 Calculation, 74 FR 51555 (October 7, 2009) (``2009 preliminary calculation''). The 2009 calculation was based on 2007 data and the methodology described in the Antidumping Methodologies: Market Economy Inputs, Expected Non-Market Economy Wages, Duty Drawback; and Request for Comments, 71 FR 61716, October 19, 2006 (``Antidumping Methodologies Notice''). Subsequently, the Department received comments from King & Spalding LLP on behalf of U.S. domestic industry (``domestic industry'') regarding the Department's 2009 preliminary calculation, as further discussed below. The Department received no other comments. This notice constitutes the Department's announcement of the finalization and effective date of the 2009 calculation.

NMFS announces that fish quotas and an effort allocation are available for harvest by U.S. fishermen in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area. This action is necessary to make available to U.S. fishermen a fishing privilege on an equitable basis.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has in place procedures for measuring the quality of patent examination, including the decision to grant a patent based on an application and of other Office actions issued during the examination of the application. The USPTO in conjunction with the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) has undertaken a project related to overall patent quality. This notice is one element in that endeavor. As part of this effort to improve the quality of the overall patent examination and prosecution process, to reduce patent application pendency, and to ensure that granted patents are valid and provide clear notice, the USPTO would like to focus, inter alia, on improving the process for obtaining the best prior art, preparation of the initial application, and examination and prosecution of the application. The USPTO is seeking public comment directed to this focus with respect to methods that may be employed by applicants and the USPTO to enhance the quality of issued patents, to identify appropriate indicia of quality, and to establish metrics for the measurement of the indicia. This notice is not directed to patent law statutory change or substantive new rules. It is directed to the shared responsibility of the USPTO and the public for improving quality and reducing pendency within the existing statutory and regulatory framework.