Despite continued aggressive rhetoric around trade policy, tariff levels heading into 2026 are likely to stabilize as the Trump administration pivots to affordability issues, according to Flexport executives speaking during a Jan. 8 webinar on tariff trends.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act (Haiti HELP) are scheduled to get floor votes next week through the suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage. Both trade preferences expired Oct. 1.

As CBP shifts its focus from trade facilitation and trade enforcement, conducting reasonable care is no longer enough, and importers must be prepared to do much more, according to the lead analytical content manager for risk management provider Sayari.

A memorandum of understanding may serve as a bona fide order if an instrument was imported under the Florence Agreement, CBP said in a recent ruling that overturned a previous CBP decision.

International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

A prominent political risk advisory firm says that peak tariff disruption is over, and that 2026 will bring some tariff reductions, but also continued uncertainty in several trade areas.

An importer bears the burden of providing a "complete paper trail" if that importer wants to show that the transactions of its middleman vendors and corresponding factory sellers were bona fide sales upon which transaction value may be based, CBP's Apparel, Footwear and Textiles Center said in a recent ruling, HQ H337689.

International Trade Today is providing readers with the top 20 most read stories from 2025. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference numbers.

The 25% tariffs on upholstered furniture, and wooden cabinets and vanities will continue throughout 2026, instead of increasing to 30% for furniture and 50% for cabinets and vanities, as initially indicated in September (see 2509300017).

Effective Feb. 6, CBP is transitioning to electronic refunds instead of offering refunds by check. The agency is set to publish an interim final rule in the Federal Register outlining how it will do so, noting that the third party designated on CBP Form 4811 will continue to be valid after the transition goes fully into effect.