On June 26, 2020, the State Department issued a Federal Register notice announcing that it has sanctioned certain Syrian individuals and entities it has determined “are responsible for or complicit in, have directly or indirectly engaged in, attempted to engage in, or financed, the obstruction, disruption, or prevention of a ceasefire in northern Syria” or
USTR Issues Notice Seeking Public Comment on Extending China Section 301 List/Tranche 4 Product Exclusions, Including Exemptions for Certain Medical Supplies
On June 23, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a Federal Register notice seeking public comment on whether extensions for up to 12 months should be granted for particular products that have received exclusions in the China Section 301 process from the 7.5 percent tariffs on imports from China with an
USTR Requests Comments on Modifying List of Products and Tariffs in Ongoing WTO Large Civil Aircraft Dispute
On June 24, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice concerning certain U.S. actions to enforce its rights in the ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute with the European Union (EU) over large civil aircraft. The notice seeks public comment on whether certain products of current or former
USTR Issues Notices Seeking Public Comment on Extending China Section 301 Tariff Exclusions for List/Tranche 2 Products Set to Expire in September and October 2020
On June 22, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released two Federal Register notices seeking public comment on whether extensions for up to 12 months should be granted for particular products that have received exclusions in the China Section 301 process from the 25 percent tariff on imports from China with an
USTR Lighthizer Testifies Before Congress on President Trump’s 2020 Trade Policy Agenda
On June 17, 2020, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer testified before both the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee concerning President Donald Trump’s 2020 Trade Policy Agenda. His written statement highlights the “benefits of the President’s trade and economic policies” for U.S. households, the Trump administration’s fundamental changes to U.S.
U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Appeal of Section 232 Case on National Security Tariffs on Steel Imports
On June 22, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari of an appeal by the American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) regarding the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on steel imports under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The Court issued no formal statement; in declining to hear
USTR Issues China Section 301 Tariff Exclusion for One Product Under List/Tranche 3
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a Federal Register notice exempting Section 301 import tariffs for one additional List 3 product from China (imports from China with an annual trade value of $200 billion):
- Motorboats with displacement hulls of reinforced fiberglass and wood, each motorboat measuring not less than 14.47 m
OFAC Issues General License 37 After Blocking Entities and Vessels Operating in Venezuela’s Oil and Shipping Sectors
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) announced that it has issued General License (“GL”) 37 (Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Involving Delos Voyager Shipping Ltd, Romina Maritime Co Inc, and Certain Vessels), which expires on July 21, 2020. Additionally, OFAC issued frequently asked question (“FAQ”) 834 addressing the
UPDATED Country-by-Country Guide: Government Measures Taken in Response to COVID-19
In collaboration with our foreign law firm partners, we continue to update our chart of COVID-19 measures taken by governments around the world. The government measures in the chart include economic, labor and employment, health and safety, and export and import measures. Below is a list of the updated countries and a summary of the
Commerce Announces New Rule to Facilitate U.S. Companies’ Involvement in Standard-Setting Bodies Including Huawei
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) announced on June 15, 2020 that it is issuing a new rule to allow persons to share certain U.S. technology with Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Huawei”) in connection with standards development in a standards setting body, despite Huawei’s designation to the Entity List. Commerce