- The United States will (i) modify the application of the additional ad valorem rate of duty on
DOJ Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Barco Uniforms and Affiliates for Alleged Underpayment of Customs Duties
On April 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the filing of a civil complaint against Barco Uniforms Inc., its executives Kenny and David Chan, and several affiliated companies. The complaint alleges violations of the False Claims Act (FCA) through a scheme to underpay customs duties on imported apparel. The case, originally filed…
President Trump Issues Clarification on Application of Various IEEPA Tariffs
On April 29, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) clarifying that each of the tariffs he has imposed pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, serve separate and distinct policy purposes, but should “not all have a cumulative effect (or ‘stack’…
USTR Announces Actions in Response to China’s Targeting of Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors
On April 17, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced targeted actions “to restore American shipbuilding” after its determination that China was implementing “unreasonable acts, policies, and practices to dominate the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors.” Although the specific details of the targeted actions differ from USTR’s proposed actions (see Update…
White House Releases List of Products Not Subject to Reciprocal Tariffs
On April 11, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum providing clarification of allowable exceptions under Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (i.e., implementation of reciprocal tariffs). The memorandum clarifies that one excepted product is the importation into the United States of “semiconductors.” The memo proceeds to define this term as including products…
President Trump Pauses Country-Specific Reciprocal Tariffs for 90 Days but Increases Tariffs on China
On April 9, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) announcing that he was pausing the country-specific reciprocal tariffs and, instead, leaving in place for 90 days the baseline 10% tariffs on all countries that was implemented on April 5, 2025. The President, however, noted that this pause would not apply to imports…
President Trump Increases Reciprocal Tariff and De Minimis Rates on China Due to Retaliation
On April 8, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a new Executive Order (EO) to address China’s retaliatory 34 percent tariff it is scheduled to impose on all goods imported into China originating from the United States beginning on April 10, 2025. The President has stated that effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or…
Trump Signs EO Prohibiting Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for Goods from China
On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) that excludes goods from China (including products of Hong Kong) from entering the United States duty-free under the de minimis exception beginning May 2, 2025. Section 321 of the Tariff Act of 1930, commonly referred to as the “de minimis” rule…
Trump Announces Reciprocal Tariffs on Over 60 Countries
UPDATED: This blog post has been updated with additional information and links upon the release of the Annexes to the Executive Order. Readers should note that the breadth and depth of this Executive Order and the implementation of these tariffs is unprecedented, thus the situation regarding interpretation and their implementation remains fluid. It is expected…
BIS Adds Over 80 Companies to Entity List, with Heavy Focus on China
On March 25, 2025, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added over 80 companies to its Entity List through two Final Rules. These are the first listings by BIS under President Donald Trump’s second term and the listings heavily focus on China. According to BIS, these entities “have been determined by…