On September 14, 2022, the plaintiff group in the ongoing China Section 301 tariff refund litigation before the Court of International Trade (CIT) filed its comments in response to the USTR’s remand explanation. The comments highlight that the CIT offered the USTR a final opportunity to explain its rationale and reasoning as to why it
USTR to Continue Section 301 Tariffs on China During Four-Year Review Process
On September 2, 2022, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) confirmed, as part of its statutory four-year review process under the Trade Act of 1974, that (1) domestic industry representatives benefiting from the tariff actions in the Section 301 investigation of China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property,…
BIS Issues FAQs to Address Evasion and Diversion Concerns
On August 16, 2022, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued several new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) addressing potential red flags for diversion concerns.
Regarding semiconductor foundries, one FAQ asks if there any special red flags that should be considered with regard to parties (e.g., integrated circuit designers) on the Entity…
USTR Files Remand Results Explanation in China Section 301 Tariff Refund Litigation
On August 1, 2022, and as directed by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) in its April 2022 decision (see Update of April 6, 2022), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) filed a 90-page explanation in support of its rationale for imposing List 3 and List 4A tariff determinations to…
House and Senate Pass Chips and Science Act of 2022; President Biden Expected to Quickly Sign
Both the Senate and House this week passed the Chips Act of 2022 (H.R. 4346) by comfortable bipartisan margins, sending it to the desk of President Joseph Biden for signature and enactment. The Act seeks to address that fact that only about 12% of semiconductor chips are currently manufactured in the United States and provides…
BIS Adds 36 Entities to the Entity List for Support of Russia, Iran and End-Uses with Military Applications
On June 28, 2022, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a Final Rule placing 36 entities on the Entity List for engaging in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. These entities will be listed on the BIS Entity List under the destinations…
U.S. and G7 Leaders Commit to Address China’s Unfair Trade Practices
During meetings among the G7 leaders on June 28, 2022, President Joseph Biden and the other G7 leaders committed to a “unified approach to confront” China’s trade-distorting industrial directives. According to a White House Fact Sheet, such actions will include:
- sharing insights and best practices to identify, monitor and minimize vulnerabilities and logistic bottlenecks
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Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Effective June 21; DHS and CBP Issue Highly Anticipated Guidance for Importers
Key Notes:
- Effective June 21, 2022, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) establishes a rebuttable presumption that all goods produced, mined or manufactured in the Xinjiang region of China or by certain entities designated to the UFLPA Entity List are produced with forced labor and prohibited from entry into the United States.
- The prohibition
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USTR Again Extends Certain China Section 301 Product Exclusions for COVID-19 Response
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 USTR will extend product exclusions on 81 medical care products, as set forth in Annex B of USTR’s announcement, for an…
U.S. International Trade Commission to Investigate Effects of Section 232 and Section 301 Tariffs on U.S. Industries
On May 5, 2022, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) announced the initiation of a general factfinding investigation that will examine the impact of tariffs on U.S. imports under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 in effect as of March 15, 2022. The…
