On February 24, 2023, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a Final Rule amending the Export Administrations Regulations (EAR) to impose new export control measures on Iran. These measures address the use of Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) (aka, Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), aka drones) by Russia in its ongoing
CIT Panel Hears Oral Arguments Concerning USTR’s Remand Explanation on China Section 301 List 3 and List 4A Tariffs
On February 7, 2023, the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) heard oral arguments on the USTR’s remand explanation and the plaintiff group’s reply comments. The hearing addressed the CIT’s earlier finding that the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) failed to respond adequately to comments it received during the rulemaking process when
Treasury Publishes Final Guidance on the Russian Oil Price Cap
On February 3, 2023, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) issued multiple determinations related to the price cap to be set on Russian-origin petroleum products. Treasury also published finalized guidance on the broader price cap policy implemented by the “Price Cap Coalition” – an international coalition that includes the United States, the G7, the European Union
Federal Circuit Reverses CIT Decision and Allows Section 232 Tariffs on Steel Derivatives
On February 7, 2023, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued an opinion in PrimeSource Building Products, Inc. v. United States et al., Case No. 2021-2066, reversing a lower court decision and upholding the imposition of additional Section 232 national security tariffs on derivatives of certain imported
GAO Audit: AD/CVD Process Ensures Petitions Are Not Meritless, Inaccurate, Incomplete or Filed to Obstruct Domestic Market Competition
- The GAO publicly released an audit to address concerns that domestic industries “may sometimes file [AD/CVD] petitions without merit to obstruct domestic market competition.”
- In its audit, the GAO analyzed the process administered by federal agencies to impose AD/CVD orders.
- The GAO concluded that the agency process for obtaining these orders, as well
USTR Extends Section 301 Tariff Exclusions for Chinese COVID-19 Medical Products and Seeks Public Comment
On February 3, 2023, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it is extending for 75 days China Section 301 tariff exclusions for 81 medical products. The medical products were previously deemed as needed for the COVID-19 pandemic and granted exclusions from additional tariffs. The current exclusions were scheduled to expire on
U.S. Hosts Initial Ministerial of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity
On January 27, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai hosted the initial ministerial for the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP), a regional framework for cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and strengthen competitiveness. The APEP consists of the United States, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the
USTR Extends Termination Date for Certain Chinese Products Subject to Section 301 Tariff Exclusions
On December 16, 2022, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a Federal Register notice announcing that it was extending the termination date — from December 31, 2022 until September 30, 2023 — for Section 301 tariff exclusions that apply to 352 Chinese products. These exclusions were initially reinstated on March 28, 2022 (
Plaintiffs File Final Reply to Defendants’ Response on Remand Determination in Section 301 Tariff Refund Litigation
On December 5, 2022, the plaintiff group filed its final reply to the government defendants’ response on the remand determination of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in the ongoing Court of International Trade (CIT) litigation challenging the validity of Section 301 tariffs on certain imports of Chinese products. This final reply continued
CBP Issues WRO on Sugar Produced by Central Romana in the Dominican Republic Following Forced Labor Investigation
On November 23, 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) that mandates CBP personnel at all U.S. ports of entry detain raw sugar and sugar-based products produced in the Dominican Republic by Central Romana Corporation Limited (Central Romana). This WRO followed an investigation that reasonably indicated Central Romana uses forced