On August 18, the U.S. Department of Commerce concluded an investigation it launched early last year on solar cells and modules from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Commerce provided its conclusions in a Federal Register notice, highlighting that five specific Chinese companies are shipping Chinese-origin solar products to certain Southeast Asian countries for
House Democrats Introduce Legislation to Reauthorize and Update Key Trade Programs
On Thursday, June 22, House Democrats proposed a bill named the “American Worker and Trade Competitiveness Act”, which aims to reauthorize and update key trade programs aimed at enhancing U.S. trade competitiveness and supporting workers. Introduced by Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), ranking member of the Ways & Means trade subcommittee, the bill focuses on the Generalized
Detained Shipments Exceeding $1.3 Billion in UFLPA’s First Year
A year following the commencement of the UFPLA (Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act) in June 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has apprehended nearly 4,300 shipments subject to UFLPA review or enforcement actions, with a combined value exceeding $1.3 billion. According to the agency’s data, this represents a significant increase compared to the $485 million
Congress Continues to Target Section 321 – Lawmakers call for USPS data on China-Origin Shipments
On June 28, 2023, Mike Gallagher (R-WI) , Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and James Comer (R-KY), Chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, jointly sent a formal letter addressed to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy requesting data on Chinese-origin mail and shipments entering the United States. The letter also
U.S. Department of Commerce Designates 43 entities to Entity List
On Monday, June 12, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) added 43 new entities under 50 entries to its Entity List. This list includes 31 entities in China, as well as entities located in Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
OFAC and OFSI Issue Licenses for Humanitarian Aid in Syria and Turkey
On February 6, 2023, two massive earthquakes of 7.8 and 7.6 magnitude struck Turkey and Syria, resulting in substantial physical damage and tremendous loss of life with over 40,000 deaths as of February 14, 2023. Non-governmental organizations, the United Nations, and other non-profits have mobilized efforts to assist in disaster recovery efforts. As the search
Nearly 1500 Responses Submitted to USTR as Part of the Section 301 Four Year Review Process – Is Relief on the Way?
This Tuesday, January 17, marked the close for the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR’s) comment period for its statutory 4-year review of tariffs imposed on Chinese goods under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. To-date, the Biden Administration has retained Section 301 tariffs on over $300 billion worth of imports
USTR extends COVID-related Section 301 tariff exclusions for 81 medical care products
On Wednesday, November 23, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) extended exclusions from Section 301 tariffs for 81 medical care products from China for a sixth time. The tariff exclusions for these products were initially granted in December 2020 and had been extended multiple times throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The tariff exclusions for
Commerce Downgrades Russia to Nonmarket Economy Status
On November 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) announced that it has reclassified Russia as a nonmarket economy, meaning that it will no longer treat Russia as a market economy in antidumping (AD) proceedings. This is an unprecedented move because it is the first time that Commerce upgraded a country to market economy
Lawmakers in Washington propose bill for allowing retroactive GSP benefits
On Monday, lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives proposed a bipartisan bill aimed at providing relief to U.S. importers who paid tariffs on goods that would have been eligible for preferential treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which expired on December 31, 2020. This bill would retroactively apply preferential treatment to products