The threat of the Trump administration's tariff policy looms over the upcoming USMCA review, causing former officials involved in the initial negotiations to warn that the review may turn into a non-stop renegotiation complicated by tariff discussions.

Target General Merchandise's string light models are properly classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule heading 9405 as lamps with a "permanently fixed light source" not specified elsewhere in the tariff schedule and not under heading 8543 as parts of electrical machines having individual functions not specified elsewhere in the chapter, the Court of International Trade held on Aug. 13. Judge Lisa Wang ruled that Target's seven models of string lights specifically fall under subheading 9405.30.00 as lighting sets "of a kind used for Christmas trees.”

The Census Bureau is finalizing a rule that will expand the types of parties responsible for submitting export filings for in-transit shipments that are imported to the U.S. from foreign countries before being exported to another foreign destination. The agency also is adding new language to acknowledge that those parties rely on information from others to make sure the shipments comply with export controls, said it plans to eventually move forward with a new country of origin reporting requirement for in-transit exports, revised its detention for "ultimate consignee" and made other clarifications to the Foreign Trade Regulations.

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The American Apparel and Footwear Association thanked the Trump administration's suspension of higher tariff rates on China, but said the measure only keeps American companies and consumers "stuck in the same holding pattern" since President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs were announced.

U.S.-origin resin bought by a Chinese manufacturer to make zipper bags isn't an assist for valuation purposes because it was bought at full price from U.S. suppliers unrelated to the U.S. importer of the bags, CBP said in a recent ruling.

U.S. tariffs won't apply to gold, President Donald Trump said in an Aug. 11 Truth Social post, despite a July 31 CBP ruling that found that gold bars are subject to reciprocal tariffs if they have been processed (see 2508080017).

President Donald Trump will extend to November the deadline for tariffs on Chinese goods that were due to come into effect at midnight Aug. 12, multiple news outlets have reported.

The president's trade team has been suggesting that its definition of transshipment is different than what the word has traditionally meant -- that they will assign country of origin based on how much of the finished good was made from local inputs.

Once the U.S.-Japan deal is put to paper, Japanese goods will be subject to a flat 15% tariff, as long as the most-favored nation tariff that applies is at that rate or lower. For goods above 15% MFN, just the typical duty will apply, with no additional reciprocal tariff.