On March 11, 2026, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) initiated investigations into the Acts, Policies, and Practices of Certain Economies Relating to Structural Excess Capacity and Production in Manufacturing Sectors under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. This announcement had been expected since the Supreme Court of the United States
Section 301 Investigations
Plaintiffs in China Section 301 Tariff Litigation File Petition with U.S. Supreme Court Seeking Review of Federal Circuit Decision
On February 20, 2026, lead counsel for the plaintiff group in the test case for the China Section 301 tariff refund litigation (HMTX Industries LLC, et al. v. United States et al.), filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking review of the U.S. Court of Appeals…
In Response to U.S. Supreme Court IEEPA Tariff Ruling, USTR Plans to Initiate Section 301 Investigations
On February 20, 2026, in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that tariffs under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) are illegal (see Thompson Hine Update of February 20, 2026), Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, issued a statement that the decision “affects [only] one element of the Administration’s” trade…
IEEPA-Based Tariffs Ending February 24, 2026
On Sunday, February 22, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) Message # 67834313 to clarify that the U.S. government will stop collecting tariffs subject to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) beginning Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The CSMS message follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Friday…
USTR Issues Affirmative Determination in China Semiconductor Section 301 Investigation
On December 23, 2025, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) determined that China’s acts, policies, and practices related to targeting of the semiconductor industry for dominance are actionable under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. Accordingly, the USTR will take tariff action on U.S. imports of semiconductors from China, with an initial tariff…
USTR Announces Section 301 Tariffs on Nicaragua
On December 10, 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice announcing actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to address Nicaragua’s acts, policies, and practices related to abuses of labor rights, abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the dismantling of the rule…
USTR Extends Remaining China Section 301 Product Exclusions
On November 26, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice announcing the extension of exclusions in the Section 301 Investigation of China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation. The 178 exclusions were previously scheduled to expire on November 29, 2025, but have…
USTR Announces One-Year Suspension of Section 301 Countermeasures Targeting China’s Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors
By Aaron C. Mandelbaum & David M. Schwartz on
On November 13, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a nearly one-year suspension—until November 10, 2026—of countermeasures it imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, on Chinese vessels and maritime transport operations. Section 301 authorizes the USTR to investigate…
United States and China Reach Deal to Ease Trade Tensions
- China
USTR Issues Section 301 Determination on Nicaragua’s Abuses of Labor Rights and Human Rights Practices
On October 20, 2025, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) determined under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 that Nicaragua’s acts, policies, and practices related to abuses of labor rights, abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and dismantling of the rule of law are unreasonable and burden or restrict U.S. commerce. The…