Department of Commerce June 30, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NIST invites applications from eligible organizations in connection with NIST's funding up to eleven (11) separate MEP cooperative agreements for the operation of MEP Centers in the designated States' service areas and in the funding amounts identified in the Funding Availability section of this notice. NIST anticipates awarding one (1) cooperative agreement for each of the identified States. The objective of this announcement by the MEP Program is to provide manufacturing extension services to primarily small and medium- sized manufacturers within the States designated in the Funding Availability section of this notice. The selected organizations will become part of the MEP national system of extension service providers, currently located throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Regulatory Amendment 1 for the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Regulatory Amendment 1) as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). If implemented, this proposed rule would establish a commercial trip limit for Atlantic dolphin for vessels with a Federal commercial permit for Atlantic dolphin and wahoo. The purpose of this proposed rule is to reduce the chance of an in-season closure of the dolphin commercial sector as a result of the annual catch limit (ACL) being reached during the fishing year and to reduce the severity of social impacts caused by these closures.

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, is organizing an executive-led Healthcare Business Development Mission to China with an emphasis on the Sector. The mission is proposed at the Deputy Secretary level with participation from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure adequate access to Chinese government officials. The purpose of the mission is open access to Chinese government health officials and to introduce U.S. firms and trade associations to the Chinese Healthcare market as well as assist U.S. companies to find business partners and export their products and services to China. The mission is intended to include representatives from U.S. companies and U.S. trade associations with members that provide high end, innovative medical devices (especially imaging), healthcare technology equipment, innovative pharmaceuticals, hospital management or senior care management solutions, and medical education or training, hospital cooperation (i.e. management and education), as well as pharmaceuticals and senior care segments. Healthcare is an important issue for both the China. Today, China's annual healthcare spending is about $590.2 billion or 5.7% of its GDP. Commerce and health are not mutually exclusive, as workers become ill and as the cost of healthcare and insurance increases there is a direct impact on business through the loss of worker productivity and skilled workers, and reduced output. With fewer healthy workers earning incomes, businesses will also be harmed by decreased size and purchasing power of consumers. Families and individuals will be burdened with the impact of reduced incomes, increased health costs, and increased likelihood of long term care. As the world's two largest economies, how the two sides approach healthcare in the future has the potential to impact global macro-economic stability and future economic growth. In recent years China has prioritized the reform of its healthcare system, to ensure citizens have good quality and affordable care, especially given the trends in the population and the increase in various health issues. The aging population, chronic disease and lack of fitness for children create challenges and burdens on establishing an effective healthcare system. Incidence of non-communicable disease (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes has rapidly increased. Economic growth is also impeded because NCDs hit workers in their prime years of productivitycreating long term chronic conditions, withdrawal from the workforce, diminished family resources and early death. Tackling the prevalence and significance of NCDs is challenging. The causes are rooted in the universal trends of aging and rapid urbanization, demographic factors which will only increase in the future. Facing similar challenges and possessing common goals to achieve a successful healthcare ecosystem, the United States and China are well positioned to share experiences and find solutions to existing problems through uniting government and private sector forces at the intersection of commerce and healthcare. Areas of mutual collaboration in the healthcare could focus on improving patient access and services delivery, as well as areas of cooperation to benefit the health and lives of the population. As China reforms its' healthcare system and endeavors to create an innovative medical device and pharmaceutical industry it risks the alienation of foreign firms in the market. This trade mission will offer U.S. firms not only the opportunity to market their products and services, but also to explore ways that U.S. industry can support China's efforts to reform their healthcare system through win-win bilateral healthcare cooperation. The trade mission will include one-on-one business appointments with pre-screened potential buyers, agents, distributors and joint venture partners; meetings with national and regional government officials, chambers of commerce, and business groups; and networking receptions for companies and trade associations representing companies interested in expansion into the Chinese markets. Meetings will be offered with government authorities (such as the National Health and Family Planning Commission, China Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Services, and Ministry of Civil Affairs) that can address questions about policies, tariff rates, incentives, regulations, etc.

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, is amending the Notice published at 80 FR 76657 (December 10, 2015), regarding the Subsea & Onshore Technology Trade Mission to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil October 19-21, 2016, to modify the selection process of applicants on a rolling basis starting immediately and until at least 10 participants are selected, with a maximum number of 15 participants. Applications received after July 25, 2016, will be considered only if space and scheduling constrains permit and participation fees must be paid by August 9, 2016.

On May 13, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the notice of initiation and preliminary results of the changed circumstances review of the antidumping duty order on circular welded non-alloy steel pipe (CWP) from the Republic of Korea.\1\ In that notice, we preliminarily determined that Hyundai Steel Corporation (Hyundai Steel) is the successor-in-interest to Hyundai HYSCO (HYSCO) for purposes of determining antidumping duty cash deposits and liabilities. No interested party submitted comments on, or requested a public hearing to discuss, the initiation and preliminary results. For these final results, the Department continues to find that Hyundai Steel is the successor-in-interest to HYSCO.