International Trade Today

Today’s Top News

Commerce Department Announces Section 232 Exclusions; Notifications to Requesters Lagging

Among the companies allowed exclusions to the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum are the Connecticut company that makes Schick razors, which will be allowed to import steel blades from Japan, and U.S. Leakless, an Alabama company that imports … Subscribe to Read >>

CIT Finds ADA Compliance Not Enough for Classification in Special Duty-Free Subheading

Goods don’t qualify for duty-free treatment under the Nairobi Protocol simply because they are made to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Court of International Trade said in a June 19 decision. Toilets imported by Danze are … Subscribe to Read >>

'Brute Force' Tariffs Seen by Panelists as Unlikely to Resolve Chinese IP Theft

The problem with intellectual property theft is not only not going to be solved by tariff threats, experts said, it's likely to get worse in coming years. "I don't believe a set of punitive tariffs will bring about change in … Subscribe to Read >>

NAFTA's Direction Unclear; Auto Industry Worried, Milk Producers Heartened

Lobbyists whose sectors could be affected by a renegotiated NAFTA and a political analyst agreed that they don't know where NAFTA talks are going. Some see midterm elections as key to what happens next. Subscribe to Read >>

Today’s Featured Article

Bill to Stop Administration's ZTE Reprieve Contains Loophole

Despite repeated lobbying trips from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the Senate passed a version of the defense authorization bill June 18 that includes an amendment designed to retain the seven-year export ban on Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer ZTE. However, the way the amendment is written, the Commerce Department would retain the discretion to allow ZTE to continue importing semiconductors from U.S. sources. … Read More >>

Upcoming Events

Full Calendar

Jun

Coalition of New England Companies for Trade Event on Navigating the NAFTA Negotiations, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Waltham, Massachusetts (here)

Jul

U.S. Fashion Industry Association Trade Symposium, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Washington, D.C. (here)

Jul

UPS Webinar on Drawback, 3-4 p.m. (here)

Aug

National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones How To Get Involved Webinar, 2-3 p.m. (here)

Sep

16–19

National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones 2018 Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia (here)

Oct

18–21

WESCCON, Palm Springs, California (here)

Nov

12–14

Florida Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association Conference of the America, Miami, Florida (here)

FDA's Import Operations Chief Moves to CFSAN

Doug Stearn, previously director of the Office of Enforcement and Import Operations at the Food and Drug Administration, is now acting director for regulatory affairs in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, according to an FDA organization chart. Armando Zamora, who was deputy director in the Office of Enforcement and Import Operations, is now acting director, according to another chart.

US-China Business Council Names New President

Craig Allen, U.S. ambassador in Brunei since 2014, will become president of the U.S.-China Business Council July 26, the organization announced June 5. He will replace John Frisbie, who has led the group since 2004. Allen was posted to China in the Foreign Service, and was senior commercial officer in Beijing from 2002 to 2005, managing Commerce's staff in China from multiple agencies. He has also served as deputy assistant secretary for China at the Commerce Department and deputy assistant secretary for Asia in Commerce's International Trade Administration.

Former USTR Lawyer Joins King & Spalding

King & Spalding hired Bradford Ward, previously director of the Interagency Center on Trade Implementation, Monitoring, and Enforcement at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the law firm said in a news release. In his practice group, Government Matters, Ward will focus on international trade policy, market access and trade remedy litigation.

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Today’s Top News