On September 15, 2020, a dispute settlement panel of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that President Donald Trump’s tariffs against China violate the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) because they are prima facie inconsistent with Articles I:1 (Most-favored Nation Treatment) and certain of the GATT’s schedules and concessions, and the United States
World Trade Organization
USTR Makes Minor Revisions to List of EU Goods Subject to WTO Retaliatory Tariffs in Ongoing Dispute Over Large Civil Aircraft Subsidies
On August 12, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released an updated list of goods from the European Union (EU) that will continue to be subject to retaliatory tariffs as part of the dispute settlement at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Airbus subsidies. In June 2020, USTR sought public comment on…
USTR Requests Comments on Modifying List of Products and Tariffs in Ongoing WTO Large Civil Aircraft Dispute
On June 24, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice concerning certain U.S. actions to enforce its rights in the ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute with the European Union (EU) over large civil aircraft. The notice seeks public comment on whether certain products of current or former…
USTR Lighthizer Testifies Before Congress on President Trump’s 2020 Trade Policy Agenda
On June 17, 2020, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer testified before both the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee concerning President Donald Trump’s 2020 Trade Policy Agenda. His written statement highlights the “benefits of the President’s trade and economic policies” for U.S. households, the Trump administration’s fundamental changes to U.S.…
USTR Initiates Section 301 Digital Services Tax Investigations on EU, India and Others
The Office of the United States Trade Representative has announced it will begin investigations under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act into digital services taxes that have been adopted or are being considered by Austria, Brazil, the Czech Republic, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. According to the…
In Annual Reports to Congress, USTR Continues to Criticize Russia and China for Poor WTO Compliance
Recently, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued its annual reports to Congress assessing how the People’s Republic of China (China) and the Russian Federation (Russia) have been complying with their World Trade Organization (WTO) accession agreements, including both their multilateral commitments and bilateral commitments with the United States. China became a member of the WTO…
U.S. Trade Representative Releases 2020 Trade Policy Agenda and 2019 Annual Report
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has released President Donald Trump’s 2020 Trade Policy Agenda and 2019 Annual Report, detailing how the Trump administration’s trade actions have resulted in “a ‘blue-collar boom’ with higher wages, more jobs and a stronger economy for all.” The report details several of President Trump’s trade accomplishments…
USTR Revises and Increases Tariffs in WTO Dispute Award Against EU Concerning Large Civil Aircraft Subsidies
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has announced in a forthcoming Federal Register notice that the United States will increase the tariffs imposed on aircraft imported from the European Union (EU) from 10% to 15% on March 18, 2020. These tariffs resulted from an October 2019 ruling by a World Trade Organization (WTO)…
USTR’s Report Lambastes WTO’s Appellate Body for Failing to Follow WTO Rules and Agreements
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has released its Report on the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO), providing an in-depth assessment of the Appellate Body’s alleged “failure to comply with WTO rules and interpret WTO agreements as written.” In a press release, USTR Robert Lighthizer stated, “For more than 20…
New CBP Statistics Show $52.9 Billion in Collections from Tariff Actions
According to recently released U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, the agency has assessed, as a result of tariffs implemented through U.S. government actions under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Sections 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, approximately $52.9 billion in import duties as of January…
