The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued its first set of product exclusions from the second group of Section 301 tariffs on goods from China. Newly exempt from the tariffs are "69 specially prepared product descriptions." The exclusions cover 292 separate requests, according to the notice. The product exclusions apply retroactively to Aug. 23, 2018, the date the second set of tariffs took effect, and will remain in effect until one year after the notice is published.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will begin a Section 301 investigation of France's proposed digital services tax, which is expected to pass the French Senate tomorrow, the USTR said in a news release. "The structure of the proposed new tax as well as statements by officials suggest that France is unfairly targeting the tax at certain U.S.-based technology companies," the release said. A Federal Register notice will follow with instructions on how to comment on or testify in front of the investigation.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued a sixth list of product exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on goods from China. Newly exempt from the tariffs are "110 specially prepared product descriptions," the agency said. The exclusions cover 362 separate requests, according to the notice, which is scheduled for publication in the July 9 Federal Register. The product exclusions apply retroactively to July 6, 2018, the date the first set of tariffs took effect, and will remain in effect until one year after the notice is published.
President Donald Trump said he won't lift current U.S. tariffs, but also won't add tariffs on any more Chinese imports "for at least the time being." He said during a press conference at the G20 Summit in Japan that negotiations will resume "where we left off to see if we can make a deal."
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will begin accepting exclusion requests for the third tranche of Section 301 tariffs through a new portal on June 30 at noon, the agency said in a notice. The exclusion requests will be due through the portal at exclusions.ustr.gov/ by Sept. 30, with responses due 14 days after the request is posted on the portal, USTR said. Exclusions will be effective going back to Sept. 24, 2018, when the tariffs on $200 billion in goods from China were implemented with a 10 percent tariff.
President Donald Trump said the tariffs on goods from Mexico that were set to begin on June 10 will not take effect on that date after a deal was reached between the two countries. "I am pleased to inform you that The United States of America has reached a signed agreement with Mexico," Trump said in a tweet. "The Tariffs scheduled to be implemented by the U.S. on Monday, against Mexico, are hereby indefinitely suspended."
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on June 7 reversed a lower court decision that found Ford’s use of tariff engineering legitimate to secure a lower duty rate on its imported cargo vans. CAFC held that, while post-importation activities such as the removal of passenger seats are irrelevant to classification, the relevant tariff subheading for “vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons” suggests some consideration of use. The van’s design features, including shoddy passenger seats, suggest they are intended for use as cargo vans of heading 8704, and subject to a higher duty rate, the Federal Circuit said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued a fifth list of product exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on goods from China. Newly exempt from the tariffs is one 10-digit subheading, 8537.10.8000, in its entirety, as well as "88 specially prepared product descriptions." The exclusions cover 464 separate requests, according to the notice, which is scheduled for publication in the June 4 Federal Register. The product exclusions apply retroactively to July 6, 2018, the date the first set of tariffs took effect, and will remain in effect until one year after the notice is published.
Chinese imports subject to the third tranche of Section 301 tariffs that were on the water as of May 10 will stay at the 10 percent tariff rate through June 15. Originally, the tariffs were set to rise to 25 percent for entries on or after June 1. There will be a notice in the Federal Register next week, USTR said after hours May 31. "This limited extension will further account for customs enforcement factors and the transit time between China and the United States by sea," the press release said.
India will be removed from the Generalized System of Preferences on June 5, because President Donald Trump "determined that India has not assured the United States that India will provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets." The announcement came just after 8 p.m. on May 31. The end of GSP eligibility and removal of India's developing country status also means India will be subject to safeguard duties on solar cells and washing machines as of June 5.