The Border Trade Alliance released a Dec. 30 letter it sent to the Mexican Embassy asking that nation to pause its regulatory changes that end tariff-free treatment of apparel and textile home goods that are imported into Mexico but destined for U.S. consumers. The same change also increased the tariffs on 121 apparel goods from China to 35% (see 2412240009).
A new Section 301 investigation on Chinese legacy chips may lead to a tariff regime that could create havoc, according to Sidley Austin's Ted Murphy, who specializes in trade and customs.
There will be no changes in 2025 to the countries that can participate in the trade benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a spokesperson from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced last week.
DHS Homeland Security Investigations' congressional engagement led to the introduction of bills that would:
In its third ACE 2.0 test, run last month, CBP showed how an outside organization -- the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) -- can provide information to the EPA and CBP ahead of arrival, so that the government knows chemicals are legitimate.
A bipartisan, bicameral bill would create a Maritime Security Trust Fund, into which revenues would come from tonnage fees on Chinese-owned and Chinese-flagged ships visiting U.S. ports, special tonnage taxes, light money, and tariffs and duties, including Section 301 tariffs.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative opened an investigation into Chinese manufacturing of legacy (or foundational) semiconductors, "including to the extent that they are incorporated as components into downstream products for critical industries like defense, automotive, medical devices, aerospace, telecommunications, and power generation and the electrical grid."
The House of Representatives voted 366-34 to fund the government through mid-March, as the Republican majority dropped a debt ceiling provision it tried to pair with the slimmed down spending bill on Dec. 19.
Shein, which has made its business selling fast fashion from Chinese manufacturers in de minimis packages to American consumers, announced Dec. 19 that it has begun participating in the Section 321 Data Pilot program. The Section 321 pilot is smaller and requires less data than Type 86 filing. The company said it had been participating more than 30 days, and CBP confirmed that it was receiving all the relevant import entry information for the data pilot.
Rep. Don Beyer, a long-time trade liberalization advocate, led a 90-minute hearing making the case against more tariffs in the second Trump administration, and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden slammed the economic impact of campaign tariff promises as the Democrats try to use their bully pulpits in the last week before Republicans will have control at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.