Timely news and analysis of the latest developments in international trade law
On January 15, 2025, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued two Final Rules adding 27 companies to the Entity List.
In the first Final Rule, BIS added 16 entities under the destinations of China (14) and Singapore (2). These entities are being added to the Entity List due to…
On January 10, 2025, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted significant entities involved in Russia’s oil production, maritime insurers, maritime oil tankers, and other entities and persons engaged in Russia’s energy sector. According to an OFAC press release, the sanctions block two major Russian oil producers, over 180…
On January 14, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) that would amend CBP regulations pertaining to the entry of certain low-value (i.e., de minimis) shipments into the United States not exceeding $800 that are currently eligible for an administrative exemption from duty and tax. CBP states…
On January 10, 2025, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated and placed eight Venezuelan officials on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List for “enabling Nicolas Maduro’s repression and subversion of democracy in Venezuela.” The individuals sanctioned include the president of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., (PdVSA), Venezuela’s state-owned oil company…
On January 6, 2025, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Syria General License (GL) 24 to expand authorizations for activities and transactions in Syria following the events of December 8, 2024, and the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power. The intent of the GL is to ensure that U.S.
On January 7, 2025, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) again extended previous Russia-related General License (GL) 13 by issuing a revised GL 13L, “Authorizing Certain Administrative Transactions Prohibited by Directive 4 under Executive Order 14024,” which states that U.S. persons are authorized to pay taxes, fees, or import…
On January 3, 2025, President Joseph Biden issued a Presidential Order blocking an approximately $15 billion proposed acquisition by Nippon Steel Corporation (Nippon Steel) of Japan to purchase Pittsburgh-based United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel). Explaining that the proposed acquisition might result in actions that threaten to impair the national security of the United States…
The U.S. International Trade Commission released the 2025 Basic Edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) on January 1, 2025. The HTSUS sets out the tariff rates and statistical categories for all merchandise imported into the United States and is based on the Harmonized System, which is the global system of…
In mid-December 2024, the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) issued a Final Rule amending its trade remedy regulations for the administration of antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) laws. These regulatory amendments are effective on January 15, 2025.
In many instances, the ITA has codified existing procedures and methodologies. The amendments, however…
On December 30, 2024, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released a year-end update of the Boycott Requester List. This list notifies companies, financial institutions, freight forwarders, individuals, and other U.S. persons of potential sources of certain boycott-related requests they may receive during the regular course of business. Introduced in…
