2021

On December 9, 2021, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on two individuals for corruption involving procurement during the pandemic. The Department of the Treasury stated that “Corruption involving procurement of life-saving medical supplies represents a profound betrayal of public trust and a waste of critically needed resources.” Government officials in El…

On December 2, 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the expansion of sanctions against Belarus in response to the Lukashenka regime’s continued “disregard for international norms.” The actions taken by OFAC pursuant to Executive Orders 14038 and 13405 include 35 new designations to the Specially Designated Nationals and…

On November 24, 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License 8I, “Authorizing Transactions Involving Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) Necessary for the Limited Maintenance of Essential Operations in Venezuela or the Wind Down of Operations in Venezuela for Certain Entities.” This general license continues to…

On November 26, 2021, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a Final Rule in the Federal Register adding 27 foreign entities and individuals to the Entity List for engaging in activities that are contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. These entities and individuals…

On November 30, 2021, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a Notice of Inquiry in the Federal Register seeking public comments regarding areas and priorities for United States and European Union (EU) export control cooperation. This information gathering is intended to inform and assist the work of the U.S.-EU Trade…

On November 24, 2021, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the United States and India reached an agreement regarding the treatment of Digital Services Taxes (DSTs). Under the agreement, India will remove its existing DSTs before the entry into force of Pillar 1 of the agreement on global taxation of the…

On November 22, 2021, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the United States and Turkey reached an agreement regarding the treatment of Digital Services Taxes (DSTs).

Under the agreement, Turkey will remove its existing DSTs before the entry into force of Pillar 1 of the agreement on global taxation of the…

UPDATE: On December 17, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued the following statement regarding a delay in updating the 2022 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS): 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) understands that the five-year World Customs Organization harmonized tariff schedule update will not take effect January 1, 2022. CBP is…

On November 17, 2021, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced the formation of the “U.S.-Japan Partnership on Trade.” The intent of this trade initiative is to deepen cooperation between the two countries and reaffirm their “shared commitment to strengthen…

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has announced that it will again extend Section 301 product exclusions for imports from China of medical care products needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The 99 exclusions were published on December 29, 2020, and were scheduled to expire on November 14, 2021. See past Updates…