October 2021

On October 21, 2021, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), released an Interim Final Rule to implement export controls on certain cybersecurity items that can be used for malicious cyber activities. Public comments are accepted until December 6, 2021. The final rule will become effective on January 19, 2022, and will…

On October 21, 2021, the Department of the Treasury announced that the United States has reached an agreement with Austria, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom on the treatment of digital services taxes (DSTs), a little more than a month before the United States was scheduled to implement additional duties of 25% on certain…

On October 5, 2021, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it is seeking public comments on whether to reinstate previously extended product exclusions for certain imports from China subject to Section 301 tariffs. Of the more than 2,200 product exclusions that were granted by USTR during the administration of President Donald…

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has released a final rule to implement a multilateral agreement to control certain biotechnology software that could be misused for biological weapons purposes. This final rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement the decision finalized by the Australia Group (AG) on August 6, 2021.…

In an October 4, 2021 speech, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai offered several broad insights into President Joseph Biden’s approach to the U.S.-China trade relationship. Noting that this relationship is complex, competitive and “one of profound consequence,” she stated that “[f]or too long, China’s lack of adherence to global trading norms has undercut the…

On October 1, 2021, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam) reached an agreement resolving the Section 301 investigation into Vietnam’s alleged import and use of timber illegally harvested or traded. The investigation was initiated in October 2020 by former President…

On September 29, 2021, the Coalition of Freight Coupler Producers, consisting of Amsted Rail Company, Inc. and McConway & Torley LLC (“Petitioners”), filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) seeking antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of freight rail coupler (FRC) systems and components from the…