2021

On May 12, 2021, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on President Joseph Biden’s trade agenda. Ambassador Tai’s written testimony noted that the Biden administration wants “a fair international trading system that promotes inclusive growth and reflects America’s universal values.” She noted that support from Congress would add “more…

On April 29, 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a settlement with MoneyGram Payment Systems, Inc. (MoneyGram), a global payments and money transfer company. Under the settlement, MoneyGram agreed to pay a $34,000 civil penalty for 359 apparent violations of multiple OFAC sanctions programs. MoneyGram provided services to…

On April 28, 2021, Chief Judge Mark Barnett of the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued an order staying any new complaints filed in the ongoing Section 301 tariff refund litigation involving the legality of tariffs imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on imports from China appearing on the Office…

On April 23, 2021, the plaintiff group in the ongoing Section 301 tariff refund litigation at the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction Limited to Suspension of Liquidation of all unliquidated entries of imported products from China appearing on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s Lists 3 and…

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a final rule amending the Somalia Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 551 (“Regulations”) and reissuing them to further implement the April 12, 2010 and July 20, 2012 Somalia-related executive orders. This final rule replaces the regulations that were published in abbreviated form…

On April 19, 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License No. 2H under the Belarus Sanctions Regulations, representing a shift in the licensing policy for transactions with certain entities. Since October 2015, now revoked OFAC General License No. 2G had authorized transactions with these nine companies. The…

On April 15, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order (“E.O.”) on “Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation.”  The E.O.  establishes a new national emergency under which sanctions may be imposed against individuals and entities furthering specified harmful foreign activities of Russia against the United…