On July 19, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) reached an agreement to address concerns raised by the United States about Vietnam’s currency practices that were found actionable in an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 by the Office of the U.S.
U.S. Government Issues Hong Kong Business Advisory
On July 16, 2021, the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security and the Treasury issued a Hong Kong Business Advisory highlighting growing risks for U.S. companies operating in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to ongoing actions taken by the Government of the People’s Republic of China (China). The advisory states that…
BIS Adds Six Russian Entities to the Entity List
On July 19, 2021, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a final rule adding six Russian entities to the Entity List after having been determined to be “acting contrary to the foreign policy interests of the United States.” The entities are:
- Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo AST;
- Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Pasit;
- Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Pozitiv
…
BIS Adds Entities to the Entity List and the Military End-User List
On July 12, 2021, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a final rule adding thirty-four (34) entities to the Entity List for the following destinations: Canada; People’s Republic of China (China); Iran; Lebanon; Netherlands; Pakistan; Russia; Singapore; South Korea; Taiwan; Turkey; the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and the United Kingdom. …
Federal Circuit Reverses CIT on President’s Authority to Increase Section 232 Tariffs on Steel Imports from Turkey
On July 13, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit) issued a majority 2-1 opinion reversing the ruling of the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) that former President Donald J. Trump violated the provisions of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Section 232) by increasing tariffs…
OFAC Issues General License 40 Authorizing Certain Transactions Involving the Export of LP Gas to Venezuela
On July 12, 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License 40, “Authorizing Certain Transactions Involving the Exportation or Reexportation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas to Venezuela.” This general license authorizes all transactions and activities related to the exportation or reexportation, directly or indirectly, of liquefied petroleum…
CIT Preliminarily Suspends Liquidation of Certain Entries Subject to China Section 301 Duties
On July 6, 2021, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued an opinion granting the Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction in the ongoing China Section 301 tariff litigation. The preliminary injunction suspends liquidation of unliquidated entries subject to List 3 and List 4A Section 301 duties, which, the Plaintiffs allege, are not authorized…
OFAC Removes International Criminal Court-Related Sanctions Regulations
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a final rule to remove the International Criminal Court-Related Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 520, from the Code of Federal Regulations. OFAC is taking this action after the national emergency upon which these sanctions were based was terminated by President Biden…
BIS Adds Five Chinese Companies to Entity List for Human Rights Violations
Effective June 24, 2021, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will place five Chinese companies on the Entity List for human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor and high-technology surveillance against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang…
OFAC Sanctions Belarusian Individuals and Entities; Issues Belarus General License No. 3
On June 21, 2021, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 16 individuals and five entities in response to the Lukashenko regime’s escalating violence and repression. The persons are all closely associated with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and, according to an OFAC press statement, “have harmed the people of Belarus through their activities…
