Groups of Senate and House Republicans have sent letters to President Donald Trump urging him not to reverse Obama administration policies that began to relax longstanding economic sanctions and open up the country for limited trade. Seven House Republicans wrote Trump stating, “Reversing course would incentivize Cuba to once again become dependent on countries like…

As comments in the ongoing Section 232 investigation into steel imports are being filed, we highlight two recent submissions that reflect the dichotomy of views on this trade issue. Both the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) filed comments with the Department of Commerce on May 31, 2017.…

On May 24, 2017, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a report on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In addition to providing a short history of the trade agreement and an overview of certain key provisions, this timely report provides insight into certain trade trends and the agreement’s economic effects on the…

On May 24, 2017, the Department of Commerce held a public hearing as part of its investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 into the impact of steel imports on national security (see our previous client update for more information). In opening remarks, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross stated that the…

Press reports have confirmed that Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who negotiated the joint nuclear deal and who has sought more positive relationships with western powers, won re-election over the hard-right conservative challenger, cleric Ebrahim Raisi. Rouhani reportedly received 57 percent of the vote to Raisi’s 38.5 percent, with the remaining votes split among…

Stating that “trade is critical to the economic strength of our country,” President Trump has proclaimed this week to be World Trade Week. In issuing this proclamation, the president stated that the United States will:

  • promote economic growth by strengthening the manufacturing base and expanding exports in manufacturing, agriculture, and the service industries;
  • challenge

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The Trump administration has renewed a necessary waiver regarding U.S. sanctions on Iran’s crude oil exports. This will allow Iran to continue to sell its oil in the international market despite existing U.S. sanctions that must be periodically waived under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign…

The Trump administration formally notified Congress of its intent to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, starting a 90-day clock for statutorily required consultations. This notification means that NAFTA negotiations with Canada and Mexico can begin no earlier than August 16, 2017. In the letter from U.S. Trade Representative…

In response to President Trump’s Executive Order 13786 (see our update of April 3, “Executive Order Calls for Omnibus Report on Significant Trade Deficits”), the governments of Canada and Mexico have filed formal comments with the Department of Commerce ahead of the public hearing to be held on May 18, 2017.

While Mexico’s…