Department of Commerce February 13, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) published notice in the Federal Register of December 22, 2023 in which Commerce announced the final results of the 2021-2022 administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on finished carbon steel flanges from India. This notice contained an appendix that included an incorrect list of companies not selected for individual examination.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that certain pea protein (pea protein) from the People's Republic of China (China) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2023, through June 30, 2023. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies were provided to producers and exporters of truck and bus tires from the People's Republic of China (China), during the period of review (POR) from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022. In addition, Commerce is rescinding the review, in part, with respect to 15 companies. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS closes the Angling category southern area fishery for large medium and giant (``trophy'' (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm)) curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). The southern area trophy fishery is defined as south of 39[deg]18' N lat., and outside of the Gulf of Mexico. This action applies to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally.

Pursuant to the ``Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence'' (October 30, 2023), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is issuing inventorship guidance for inventions assisted by artificial intelligence (AI). The guidance provides clarity for USPTO stakeholders and personnel, including the Central Reexamination Unit and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board), on how the USPTO will analyze inventorship issues as AI systems, including generative AI, play a greater role in the innovation process. This guidance explains that while AI-assisted inventions are not categorically unpatentable, the inventorship analysis should focus on human contributions, as patents function to incentivize and reward human ingenuity. Patent protection may be sought for inventions for which a natural person provided a significant contribution to the invention, and the guidance provides procedures for determining the same. Finally, the guidance discusses the impact these procedures have on other aspects of patent practice. The USPTO is seeking public comments on this inventorship guidance for AI-assisted inventions.