Exports from Burkina Faso will no longer qualify for the African Growth and Opportunity Act benefits next year, the White House notified Congress Nov. 2.

The U.S. and the EU created a U.S.-EU Task Force "to continue promoting deeper understanding of the [Inflation Reduction Act]’s meaningful progress on lowering costs for families, our shared climate goals, and opportunities and concerns for EU producers."

On Oct. 10, President Joe Biden signed into law a temporary change to the 13.6% tariff plus $1.035/kg tariff on base powder that's an input to baby formula (see 2209290068). The tariffs go to zero through Dec. 31, 2022. The change is aimed at increasing domestic production of baby formula, as there are still shortages after a major domestic producer closed for months. The duty-free eligibility is limited to the first 2,600 metric tons imported.

President Joe Biden is less likely to suspend some Section 301 tariffs on goods from China following a recent visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to Taiwan, Sidley Austin lawyer Ted Murphy said in a blog post. "Before the visit, our view was that the Administration was leaning toward suspending some of the duties," he said. "China’s reaction to the Speaker’s visit, coupled with the fact that this is an election year, however, makes it hard to see that happening now. In our view, any action on the Section 301 duties will likely be tabled until after the November election."

Senior administration officials said that President Joe Biden didn't talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping about whether he wants to make any changes to tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese exports over the course of a two-hour call.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo acknowledged that lifting Section 301 tariffs is one of the few levers the White House has to lower inflation right now, but implied that President Joe Biden is hesitating because unions are arguing it would hurt workers.

President Joe Biden late on July 21 signed the Formula Act, which waives tariffs on imported baby formula through the end of the year.

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which would punish carriers who reject exports from West Coast ports if the Federal Maritime Commission deems those decisions as unreasonable, was signed into law June 16. The FMC is directed to begin a rulemaking on the matter. The law also puts the burden of proof on the reasonableness of demurrage and detention fees on ocean carriers, rather than the parties who were charged the fees.

The removal of Ukraine from the countries whose steel exports face 25% tariffs, announced in early May (see 2205090041), will take effect on June 1. A presidential proclamation said Ukrainian steel that is in foreign-trade zones and entered under foreign privileged status will still face 25% Section 232 tariffs when it enters into commerce after that date. The break from national security tariffs will last one year, the proclamation said.

A bipartisan group of governors from 18 states are asking the White House to accelerate the investigation into tariff circumvention for solar panel manufacturers in Southeast Asia. "As Governors, we strongly urge you and your administration to expedite a preliminary determination as well as an economic analysis of the impact retroactive actions would have on businesses, workers, and families."