On December 28, 2021, Presidential Proclamation 10326 directing the modification of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) was published in the Federal Register, triggering the 30-day implementation process. As previously reported — see Update of November 23, 2021 — the recommended HTSUS modifications will primarily update the HTSUS to conform to
Section 301 Investigations
OFAC Identifies Eight Chinese Companies as Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies
On December 16, 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it was placing another eight Chinese technology firms on its Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List (CMIC List). This action was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13959 (as amended by Executive Order 14032), which prohibits U.S. persons from conducting…
President Biden Issues Executive Order Imposing Sanctions Regarding the Global Illicit Drug Trade
On December 15, 2021, President Joseph Biden signed “Executive Order on Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade,” an order finding that “the trafficking into the United States of illicit drugs, including fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, is causing the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans annually,…
OFAC Sanctions Several Entities and Individuals for Serious Human Rights Abuses
On December 10, 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 15 individuals and 10 entities in several countries for their connection to human rights abuse and repression. In addition, OFAC imposed investment restrictions on one Chinese company in connection with the surveillance technology sector
In China, OFAC has placed…
BIS Adds 27 Entities to the Entity List and One Entity to the MEU List
On November 26, 2021, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a Final Rule in the Federal Register adding 27 foreign entities and individuals to the Entity List for engaging in activities that are contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. These entities and individuals…
U.S. and India Reach Agreement on Digital Services Taxes
On November 24, 2021, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the United States and India reached an agreement regarding the treatment of Digital Services Taxes (DSTs). Under the agreement, India will remove its existing DSTs before the entry into force of Pillar 1 of the agreement on global taxation of the…
U.S. and Turkey Reach Agreement on Digital Services Taxes
On November 22, 2021, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the United States and Turkey reached an agreement regarding the treatment of Digital Services Taxes (DSTs).
Under the agreement, Turkey will remove its existing DSTs before the entry into force of Pillar 1 of the agreement on global taxation of the…
USTR Announces Further Extension of Certain Section 301 Product Exclusions for COVID-19 Response Purposes
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has announced that it will again extend Section 301 product exclusions for imports from China of medical care products needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The 99 exclusions were published on December 29, 2020, and were scheduled to expire on November 14, 2021. See past Updates…
United States and European Union Reach Agreement on Steel and Aluminum Imports; Section 232 Duties to Be Removed
On October 30, 2021, the United States and the European Union (EU) reached an agreement regarding the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU that were implemented during the Trump administration. Under the agreement, the United States will replace the current Section 232 duties with tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for covered EU…
United States, Austria, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom Reach Agreement on Digital Services Taxes
On October 21, 2021, the Department of the Treasury announced that the United States has reached an agreement with Austria, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom on the treatment of digital services taxes (DSTs), a little more than a month before the United States was scheduled to implement additional duties of 25% on certain…
