Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump announced a foreign policy shift toward Cuba with the issuance of National Security Presidential Memorandum on Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba (NSPM). In announcing President Trump’s revised policy in June 2017 (see Trump and Trade Update of June 20, 2017), the
State Department and OFAC Issue Additional Sanctions on Iranian Shipping Entities
On June 8, 2020, the State Department announced sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Company Ltd (E-Sail) pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferators and supporters. In a press statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo noted that,
BIS Extends Public Comment Period for Section 232 Electrical Steel Investigation
The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has released a statement indicating that is it extending the deadline for filing public comments until July 3, 2020 for the Section 232 investigation into imports of certain electrical steel components for incorporation into transformers, electrical transformers and transformer regulators. The initial comment period was
USTR Issues Additional China Section 301 Tariff Exclusions for List/Tranche 4 Products
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a Federal Register notice excluding certain List/Tranche 4 products (imports from China with an annual trade value of $300 billion) from Section 301 tariffs of 10 percent. The exemptions cover two 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheadings and 32 specially-prepared product descriptions, which cover 55
OFAC Issues FAQs Related to Sanctions on Iran’s Construction, Mining, Manufacturing and Textile Sectors
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued four new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to Executive Order (E.O.) 13902, “Imposing Sanctions With Respect to Additional Sectors of Iran.” The FAQs address the manufacture of medicines, medical equipment and sanitation products in Iran, the scope of sectors targeted
OFAC Issues Syria-Related Regulations to Implement 2019 Executive Order Responding to Turkey’s Military Actions
On June 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued new regulations under 31 CFR Part 569 to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13894 issued by President Trump on October 14, 2019. The President issued E.O. 13894 in response to the situation in and around Syria, in particular, the military
USTR Initiates Section 301 Digital Services Tax Investigations on EU, India and Others
The Office of the United States Trade Representative has announced it will begin investigations under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act into digital services taxes that have been adopted or are being considered by Austria, Brazil, the Czech Republic, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. According to the
Commerce Initiates Section 232 National Security Investigation into Vanadium Imports
On June 2, 2020, Secretary Wilbur Ross announced that the Department of Commerce will initiate an investigation into whether the quantities or circumstances of imports of vanadium into the United States threaten to impair U.S. national security. This investigation is the result of a petition filed by U.S. producers AMG Vanadium LLC (Cambridge, Ohio) and
USTR Issues Notice Seeking Public Comment on Extending China Section 301 Tariff Exclusions for List/Tranche 3 Products Set to Expire in August 2020
On May 29, 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 25 percent tariff on imports from China with an
USTR Issues Notice Seeking Public Comment on Extending China Section 301 List/Tranche 1 Product Exclusions Set to Expire in September 2020
On May 29, 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 receiving exclusions in the China Section 301 process from the 25 percent tariff on imports from China with an annual trade