On October 14, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the extension of the compliance date for new informal entry procedures for international mail from October 22, 2026, to January 20, 2027. In a press release, CBP states that the 90-day extension “provides importers, brokers, and logistics providers additional time to update their
CIT Certifies IEEPA Tariff Refund Class
On October 8, 2026, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) granted a broad class certification for importers subject to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff regime, which the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) invalidated on February 20 (see Update of February 20, 2026).
CIT Senior Judge Richard K.
Treasury Announces First Enforcement Penalty for Violation of Outbound Investment Security Program
On October 7, 2026, U.S. Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) announced that it imposed its first civil penalty of $200,000 against U.S. company Amidi LLC (“Amidi”) under the Outbound Investment Security Program (“OISP”). The OISP came into effect on January 2, 2025, requiring that U.S. persons notify Treasury of certain types of investments, whether made…
OFAC Targets Iran’s Aviation and Rail Sectors for Additional Sanctions
On October 1, 2026, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued new sectoral sanctions determinations targeting Iran’s automotive and rail sectors. These determinations authorize OFAC to sanction any entity or individual operating in these sectors. OFAC stated that Iran’s automotive sector is the country’s largest economic sector outside of oil and gas…
DDTC Issues Proposed Rule to Remove Certain Items from the U.S. Munitions List
On September 30, 2026, the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would remove certain items from the U.S. Munitions List (USML). This proposed rule is in furtherance of President Donald Trump’s April 9, 2025, Executive Order 14268, “Reforming Foreign Defense Sales to…
DDTC Removes Syria from ITAR Section 126.1 Policy of Denial
On September 30, 2026, the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) issued a final rule in the Federal Register that, effective October 1, 2026, revises the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to remove Syria from the list of countries in ITAR § 126.1 for which there is a policy of denial…
CBP Issues Withhold Release Orders on Two Indonesian Palm Oil Producers
On September 29, 2026, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued two Withhold Release Orders (WROs) against palm oil and its derivative products produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki (MAR) and Hardaya Inti Plantation (HIP) in Indonesia. Both WROs are the result of a CBP review that MAR and HIP use forced labor to produce palm oil…
OFAC Issues New Cuba Sanctions Regulations and Amends Other Existing Sanctions
On September 30, 2026, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) implemented new sanctions on Cuba and formally amended the existing Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR). In May 2026, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14404 titled “Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to…
U.S.-China Board of Trade “30-for-30” Identifies Products Recommended for Reduced Tariffs
On September 27, 2026, the White House announced a reciprocal list of U.S. and Chinese imports recommended for reduced tariff treatment (“30-for-30”) as part of the first major outcome of the U.S.-China Board of Trade. The U.S.-China Board of Trade was first announced on June 2, 2026, to manage bilateral trade and to identify specific…
CBP Confirms October 6, 2026 Launch of Phase 3 of the IEEPA Tariff Refund Process
On September 15, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) announced in a declaration filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade (“CIT”) that Phase 3 of the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (“CAPE”), the system for administering refunds of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”), will deploy on October…
