On November 18, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the issuance of a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against garments, apparel, and textiles manufactured in Mauritius by Firemount Group Ltd. The WRO follows an investigation into the company where CBP discovered several indicators of forced labor use, including abuse of vulnerability, debt bondage, deception
Scott E. Diamond**
Scott is a senior policy advisor with more than 25 years' experience with the legislative and regulatory processes involved in international trade policy, remedies and enforcement. This includes working with clients on matters involving export controls, economic sanctions, human rights and forced labor compliance, corporate anti-boycott and antibribery compliance, national security investigations, and foreign direct investment in the United States.
**Not licensed to practice law.
United States and Ecuador Reach Framework Agreement on Reciprocal Trade
According to a Joint Statement issued by the White House on November 13, 2025, the United States and the Republic of Ecuador have entered into a Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade to “provide access to each other’s markets and increase alignment on economic and national security matters.” As noted in a separate White…
United States and Argentina Reach Framework Agreement on Reciprocal Trade
On November 13, 2025, the United States and the Argentine Republic entered a framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. The Agreement seeks “to drive long-term growth, expand opportunity, and create a transparent and rules-based environment for commerce and innovation.” While representatives from both countries continue to negotiate and finalize the formal agreement, it will…
United States and Guatemala Reach Framework Agreement on Reciprocal Trade
On November 13, 2025, the United States and the Republic of Guatemala entered a framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. The Agreement aims to strengthen the countries’ economic partnership established in 2006 under the Dominican Republic–Central America–United States Free Trade Agreement (“CAFTA-DR”). While representatives from both countries continue to negotiate and finalize the formal…
United States and El Salvador Reach Framework Agreement on Reciprocal Trade
On November 13, 2025, the United States and the Republic of El Salvador entered a framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. The Agreement aims to strengthen the countries’ economic partnership established in 2006 under the Dominican Republic–Central America–United States Free Trade Agreement (“CAFTA-DR”). The framework agreement is one of several reached by the…
President Trump Issues Executive Order Exempting Various Agricultural Products from the Reciprocal Tariff Regime
On November 14, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order exempting various agricultural products from the reciprocal tariff regime established under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”). Listed in Annex I of the executive order by their tariff codes within the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”), these agricultural products include…
United States, Switzerland and Liechtenstein Agree to Framework Agreement on Reciprocal Trade
On November 14, 2025, the United States, the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland), and the Principality of Liechtenstein (Liechtenstein) agreed to a framework for negotiations on an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. While representatives from the three countries continue to negotiate the formal agreement and hope to conclude any agreement during the first quarter of 2026, the key…
White House Announces Details on U.S.-South Korea Trade Deal
- Rebuilding and Expanding Critical Industries – South Korea will make investments into various sectors of the U.S. economy, including,
OFAC Issues New and Amended Russia-related General Licenses
- Russia-related General License 124B, “Authorizing Petroleum Services and Other Transactions Related to the
Trump’s Emergency Tariffs Face Scrutiny—and Skepticism—at the Supreme Court
On November 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a high-profile consolidated appeal challenging whether President Donald Trump lawfully invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) to impose tariffs. The cases challenge two sets of tariffs Trump implemented earlier this year: (1) tariffs against Canada, China, and Mexico in response to…
