Section 301 Investigations

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On July 15, 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), at the direction of President Donald Trump, initiated an investigation of Brazil under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The investigation will seek to determine whether acts, policies, and practices of the government of Brazil related to digital trade and…

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’…

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…

  • The USTR issued a determination and report in January 2025 finding that China’s acts, policies, and practices of in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors burden or restrict U.S. commerce and are actionable under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
  • The USTR is proposing actions that could include significant port service
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On February 21, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced its proposed actions in response to an earlier determination finding that China was targeting the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance. This determination followed an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. This determination authorizes actions in response. USTR has proposed…

  • Directing the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of the Treasury and the U.S. Trade Representative to “investigate the causes of our country’s large and persistent
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On January 17, 2025, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) intended to tighten the de minimis duty exemption for certain low-value shipments entering the United States.  Under the proposed rule, merchandise subject to specific trade and national security actions would no longer qualify for the de minimis exemption and…

On January 16, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released its report and findings in the Section 301 investigation of China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance, concluding that China’s targeted dominance in these sectors is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce, and is thus “actionable” under…

On December 23, 2024, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced it was initiating an investigation into China’s acts, policies, and practices related to China’s targeting of the semiconductor industry for dominance. The investigation will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, and will focus on China’s manufacturing of…

On December 11, 2024, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced tariff increases under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 for imports from China of certain tungsten products, wafers, and polysilicon. Beginning on January 1, 2025, the rates for solar wafers and polysilicon will increase to 50%, and the rates…