In the United States the following events have taken place under the several PGA during the month of August 2015.

Agencies Summary Link
Federal Register Eligibility to Lithuania for exporting meat and meat products to the US:
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the meat inspection regulations to add the Lithuania to the list of countries qualified for export meat and meat products to the United States. FSIS has reviewed Lithuania’s laws, regulations, and inspection system, as implemented. Based on this final rule, meat from cattle, sheep, swine, goats slaughtered in Lithuania, or parts or other products thereof, processed in certified Lithuanian establishments, will be qualified for export to the United States.		 Details
APEC List of Environmental Goods:
According to the section 131 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2151), a request from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) after receipt on 5 August 2015, the U.S. International Trade Commission started investigation no. 131-041 about APEC List of Environmental Goods: Advice on the Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty Reductions for Imports.		 Details
Exclusion of special full license provisions:
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) changes the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by removing the Special Comprehensive License (SCL) authorization. Since recent changes to the EAR permit exporters to accomplish similar results using individual licenses and without undertaking the more difficult SCL application, BIS states that the SCL has carried on its usefulness to the exporting public. This final rule also makes conforming amendments. These changes are part of BIS’s efforts to further update export controls and other federal agencies to simplify regulations and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on the public.		 Details
Notice of the 2015 Annual GSP Product and country practices review:
This notice declares that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is prepared to receive petitions to change the products lists that are applicable for duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program and to modify the GSP status of certain GSP beneficiary developing countries because of country practices. USTR is also prepared to receive petitions requesting waivers of competitive need limitations (CNLs). The deadlines for petitions to modify the list of eligible articles for duty-free treatment under GSP and to review the GSP status of any beneficiary developing country is set on 16 October 2015. The deadline for Petitions requesting waivers of CNLs is on 23 November 2015.		 Details
Importing fresh unshu oranges from Japan:
Effective from November 26, 2014, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) amended the regulations regarding the importation of citrus fruit to remove certain restrictions on the importation of Unshu oranges from Japan. Among other amendments, they removed a requirement for joint inspection of the fruit at groves and packinghouses by the Japan Government and the APHIS.		 Details
Addition to the entity list to prevent violations of Russian industry sector sanctions:
This final rule changes the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement U.S. sanctions on certain Russian energy projects. Specifically, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the EAR by adding a Russian oil and gas field, the Yuzhno-Kirinskoye Field located in the Sea of Okhotsk, to the entity list. This Russian field is reported to contain substantial reserves of oil in addition to reserves of gas. The U.S. Government has determined that exports, reexports, and transfers (within country) of all items subject to the EAR to this Russian field by any person without first obtaining a BIS license present an unacceptable risk of use in, or diversion to, the activities specified in the Russian industry sector sanctions.		 Details
Documentary evidence required as proof of exportation on drawback claims:
This document amends U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations by deleting some of the requirements for documentation used to establish proof of exportation for drawback claims. Currently, claimants must provide originally signed documentary evidence or a certified copy of such documentary evidence to establish the date and fact of exportation of articles for drawback purposes.		 Details
Application dates of amendments to the AD/CVD laws 2015:
The President Obama signed into law the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 on 29 June 2015. The Act gives a number of changes to the antidumping duty (“AD”) and countervailing duty (“CVD”) laws but does not notify application dates for those amendments. This notice of determination creates an application date for each statutory revision relating to the Department of Commerce and provides notice thereof to all interested parties to AD and CVD proceedings and to the public.		 Details