The European Parliament's Internal Market and International Trade committees adopted a draft regulation that would provide a framework for investigating the use of forced labor in global supply chains and bans all goods using forced labor, the parliament announced. If the investigation of a company reveals the use of forced labor, the European Parliament said, "all import and export of the related goods would be halted at the EU's borders and companies would also have to withdraw goods that have already reached the EU market." Goods that had reached the market would be "donated, recycled or destroyed."
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Oct. 9-15:
An "importer" for the purposes of assessing excise taxes must be involved in physically bringing goods into the U.S., the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled. Opining on whether tire wholesaler Texas Truck Parts & Tire was properly assessed excise tax on taxable tires, Judge Charles Eskridge said that since the company didn't arrange any of the transport of the tires from China nor secure their release from a customs-bonded warehouse, it is not an importer.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Oct. 2-8:
Russell Semmel, former international trade attorney at Bryan Cave, has joined Sandler Travis as of counsel in the Miami office, the firm announced in an email. His practice will center on international trade law, regulation and policy matters, including tariff classification, economic sanctions and free trade agreements, among other things. Semmel worked at Bryan Cave for the past two years as counsel, and before that at ArentFox as a trade attorney.
Frank Seung Noah, a California man working as a customs broker, was arrested on charges that he "defrauded clients out of $2 million" while free on bond from separate charges alleging he defrauded a different client out of $3.4 million, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced. Noah, who was arrested Oct. 5, has been indicted on eight counts, pleading not guilty to each.
Lydia Childre, former international trade and logistics senior associate at Venable, has joined boutique trade law firm Lighthill, the firm announced on LinkedIn. Childre worked at Venable for nearly two years after serving as a senior project adviser on Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs at the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration. Her practice at Lighthill will center on "national security and trade policy," the firm said. Lighthill was founded earlier this year by former Crowell & Moring attorney John Anwesen (see 2307050026).
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Sept. 25 - Oct. 1:
New Jersey jewelry company 21st Millennium and two individuals "who own or control the business," Iqbal Virani and Aqib Virani, admitted to evading customs duties on gold jewelry imports, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey announced. Per the terms of a settlement agreement, the company and the two owners also agreed to pay $1 million to the U.S. after admitting to evading over $400,000 in customs duties.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Sept. 18-24: