On June 15, 2021, the United States and the European Union (EU) announced a “cooperative framework” to resolve their decades-long World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute involving alleged subsidies in the large civil aircraft industry supporting both Boeing and Airbus. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai stated, “Our goal was clear – to forge a new, cooperative
DDTC Proposes to Make Pandemic-Related Telework Rules Permanent
Key Notes:
- Proposed rule would allow persons working under a long-term contract to be considered “regular employees” under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) even if they work remotely.
- Remote work would be permitted so long as people were not working in Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria or Venezuela, or
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White House Releases 100-Day Supply Chain Review of Critical Industries
On June 8, 2021, the White House released its report analyzing the risks associated with supply chains for four key U.S. sectors – semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging; large capacity batteries; critical minerals and materials; and pharmaceuticals and advanced pharmaceutical ingredients. The report, Building Resilient Supply Chains, Revitalizing American Manufacturing, and Fostering Broad-Based Growth,…
President Biden Signs Executive Order to Protect the U.S. Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain
On June 9, 2021, President Joseph Biden issued an Executive Order (E.O.) to further address the threat posed to the U.S. information and communications technology and services (ICTS) supply chain declared in Executive Order 13873 (the “Telecom Supply Chain E.O.”; see Update of May 16, 2019). The June 9, 2021 E.O. also revoked and…
Biden Administration Expands Sanctions on Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies
On June 3, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14032, “Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Certain Companies of the People’s Republic of China” (EO). The EO supersedes the executive orders targeting “Communist Chinese Military Companies” that the Trump administration issued. Specifically, it revises Sections 1 through 5 of Executive Order 13959…
EU Approves New Standard Contractual Clauses for Cross-Border Data Transfers
On June 6, the European Commission adopted new Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) to enable organizations to transfer personal data outside the European Union (EU) in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The new SCCs are intended to address the complex data processing issues that impact modern businesses, and they impose several novel obligations…
U.S. Government Defendants at CIT File Motion to Dismiss China Section 301 Tariff Refund Cases
On June 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), representing U.S. government defendants, filed its dispositive motion – a motion to dismiss and, in the alternative, a motion for judgment on the agency record – in litigation at the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) involving the potential refund of Section 301 tariffs placed…
USTR Announces Section 301 Tariffs in Retaliation for Digital Service Taxes by Six Countries but Suspends Implementation While Negotiations Continue
On June 2, 2021, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the conclusion of its Section 301 investigations of Digital Service Taxes (DSTs) that have been adopted by Austria, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. For each country, USTR determined that it would take action in the form of additional duties…
CBP Issues WRO for Seafood Products Imported from the Dalian Ocean Fishing Company
On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a press release announcing that the CBP had issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) for imports of seafood products from Dalian Ocean Fishing Co., Ltd., a Chinese entity, “based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in the entity’s fishing…
Transfer of 3D-Printed Gun Technology and Software to the EAR from the ITAR Becomes Final
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) on June 1, 2021 announced that a final rule from January 2020, which moved 3D-printed guns out from control under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) over to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), is now in effect. See Federal Register notice of January 23, 2020…
