Timely news and analysis of the latest developments in international trade law
On June 12, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) proposed two modifications to its April 17 announcement of actions under Section 301, which are scheduled to take effect starting on October 14, 2025. The actions aim to counter China’s dominance in the maritime sector.
The first proposed modification would revise the method for…
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…
On March 3, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) delivered President Donald Trump’s 2025 Trade Policy Agenda, 2024 Annual Report, and World Trade Organization at Thirty report to Congress. This year’s trade agenda seeks to strengthen the middle class and national defense and to address trade deficits by focusing on a “Production…
On February 20, 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it is seeking comments from the public to identify and address unfair and non-reciprocal foreign trade practices. This initiative is part of the broader America First Trade Policy Presidential Memorandum and the Reciprocal Trade and Tariffs Presidential Memorandum.
The…
In a February 13, 2025 Memorandum, President Donald Trump instructed the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative, with input from other agencies, to initiate “all necessary actions to investigate the harm to the United States from any non-reciprocal trade arrangements adopted by any trading partners.” Upon completion of this investigation, the president…
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 January 14, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of 37 companies based in China to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, bringing the total number of entities on the UFLPA Entity List to nearly 150 entities.
According to a press release by DHS, the entities added include globally recognized…
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…
