On February 7, 2023, the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) heard oral arguments on the USTR’s remand explanation and the plaintiff group’s reply comments. The hearing addressed the CIT’s earlier finding that the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) failed to respond adequately to comments it received during the rulemaking process when
Treasury Publishes Final Guidance on the Russian Oil Price Cap
On February 3, 2023, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) issued multiple determinations related to the price cap to be set on Russian-origin petroleum products. Treasury also published finalized guidance on the broader price cap policy implemented by the “Price Cap Coalition” – an international coalition that includes the United States, the G7, the European Union
Federal Circuit Reverses CIT Decision and Allows Section 232 Tariffs on Steel Derivatives
On February 7, 2023, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued an opinion in PrimeSource Building Products, Inc. v. United States et al., Case No. 2021-2066, reversing a lower court decision and upholding the imposition of additional Section 232 national security tariffs on derivatives of certain imported
GAO Audit: AD/CVD Process Ensures Petitions Are Not Meritless, Inaccurate, Incomplete or Filed to Obstruct Domestic Market Competition
- The GAO publicly released an audit to address concerns that domestic industries “may sometimes file [AD/CVD] petitions without merit to obstruct domestic market competition.”
- In its audit, the GAO analyzed the process administered by federal agencies to impose AD/CVD orders.
- The GAO concluded that the agency process for obtaining these orders, as well
GAO Report Notes Supply Chain Resilience with Trade Partners Requires Expanded Diplomatic Engagement
In February 2021 and pursuant to Executive Order 14017, “America’s Supply Chains,” President Joe Biden directed a review across all federal agencies to address vulnerabilities in the supply chains for critical goods. See Update of February 25, 2021. Subsequent federal agency reviews and a White House report found five key U.S. supply chain vulnerabilities
USTR Extends Section 301 Tariff Exclusions for Chinese COVID-19 Medical Products and Seeks Public Comment
On February 3, 2023, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it is extending for 75 days China Section 301 tariff exclusions for 81 medical products. The medical products were previously deemed as needed for the COVID-19 pandemic and granted exclusions from additional tariffs. The current exclusions were scheduled to expire on
CBP Removes Forced Labor Finding Pertaining to Palm Oil and Derivatives Produced by Malaysia’s Sime Darby Plantation
On February 3, 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) issued a determination in the Federal Register providing notice that it has determined that palm oil and various derivatives thereof “are no longer being mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part with the use of convict, forced, or indentured labor by the Sime Darby