On March 12, 2019, Robert Lighthizer, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), testified before the Senate Finance Committee regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO) and President Donald Trump’s desire for a more effective international trading system. In his prepared remarks, Ambassador Lighthizer stated that the United States remains active at all levels of the WTO but
Section 301 Investigations
The American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance Files Trade Remedy Petitions on Imports of Wooden Cabinets and Vanities from China
On March 6, 2019, the American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance (Alliance) filed antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) against imports of wooden cabinets and vanities from China. The Alliance consists of U.S. producers of wooden cabinets and vanities: ACProducts, Inc., American…
U.S. Trade Representative Officially Confirms China Section 301 Duty Rates Will Remain at 10 Percent
In a Notice of Modification of Action published in the Federal Register on March 5, 2019, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) made official its earlier announcement (see Trump and Trade Update of March 1, 2019) that the Section 301 retaliatory tariff for the third tranche/list of products imported from China will…
U.S. Trade Representative Releases 2019 Trade Policy Agenda and 2018 Annual Report
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has released President Donald Trump’s 2019 Trade Policy Agenda and 2018 Annual Report, detailing how the Trump administration’s trade policies “are benefitting American workers and contributing to the strongest economy in decades.” Claiming that the Trump administration “inherited a significantly flawed trading system,” the report states…
U.S. Trade Representative Announces Section 301 Tariffs on Imports of List 3 China Products Will Remain at 10 Percent
At the direction of President Donald Trump and due to recent progress in trade negotiations with China, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the Section 301 duty rate for certain products imported from China “will remain at 10 percent until further notice.” The announcement will be formally published in the Federal…
USTR Lighthizer Testifies Before House Ways & Means Committee on U.S.-China Trade
On February 27, 2019, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), testified before the House Ways & Means Committee on U.S.-China trade relations. In his brief opening statement, the ambassador stated that the United States “can compete with anyone in the world but we must have rules – enforced rules – that make sure…
President Trump Tweets Postponement of Additional Section 301 Tariffs
President Donald Trump announced via Twitter on Sunday, February 24, 2019, that he will be postponing the scheduled March 2, 2019, increase in Section 301 tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of imported Chinese products due to “substantial progress” in ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries. While the postponement is…
U.S. Producer Files Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Petition on Carbon and Alloy Steel Threaded Rod Imports from China, India, Taiwan and Thailand
On February 20, 2019, Vulcan Steel Products Inc. (Vulcan) filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) seeking antidumping duties (ADD) and countervailing duties (CVD) on imports of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod (CASTR) from the People’s Republic of China, India, Taiwan and Thailand. According…
Consolidated Appropriations Act for Funding the Government Includes Requirements for Sections 232 and 301 Tariff Exclusion Processes
On February 15, 2019, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Act) that fully funds the government for the remainder of the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2019. With Congress and the president agreeing on these appropriations, a second partial government shutdown was averted. Included in the Act is a provision authorizing additional…
American Institute of Steel Construction Seeks Antidumping and Countervailing Duties on Fabricated Structural Steel Products from Canada, Mexico and China
On February 1, 2019, the American Institute of Steel Construction, LLC (AISC) filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) seeking antidumping duties (ADD) and countervailing (CVD) duties on imports of fabricated structural steel (FSS) products from Canada, Mexico and the People’s Republic of China. FSS…
