President Donald Trump was silent on trade frictions when he appeared before tens of thousands of Indian-Americans in Houston on Sept. 22. On stage with him, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi only hinted at a possible solution to India's expulsion from the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program (see 1909060029). According to a transcript of the event issued by the White House, Modi said that over the next two to three days, he and Trump would discuss economic issues. "I hope that from these discussions as well we will have very positive results," he said. "By the way, President Trump calls me a tough negotiator. However, he himself is quite an expert in the 'art of the deal.' And I am learning quite a lot from him."
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who led a letter asking for at least partial Generalized System of Preferences benefits restoration for India (see 1909170071), said he has no insight into whether any will be restored, partially or in whole. "I don't have any particular access to [White House economic adviser Peter] Navarro or [President Donald] Trump's thinking," Himes said in a brief hallway interview Sept. 19 with International Trade Today. "I hope so, it's important to my district." Tasty Bite, which imports packaged pre-cooked vegetarian Indian dishes that are sold in grocery stores, is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. "The non-GSP world makes their life more challenging."
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer asking him to prioritize the removal of Section 232 retaliatory tariffs from India, which have resulted in a 70 percent tariff on U.S. apples in that country. Before the U.S. hit Indian steel with 25 percent tariffs, U.S. apples were taxed at 50 percent in India. India held off on retaliation for more than a year, but when the U.S. announced it would terminate India's eligibility for the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program, it responded in kind (see 1906170053).
A group of 26 Democrats and 18 Republicans in the House of Representatives sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer asking that India be at least partially restored to Generalized System of Preferences eligiblity. The Sept. 17 letter, led by Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., and Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., said that they take the market access complaints seriously, but asked that if there is progress on any front, the administration consider partially restoring GSP in exchange for India resolving "some individual issues." The Congress members said that companies are being harmed by new tariffs due to the GSP termination.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Sept. 9-15:
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Sept. 9-13 in case they were missed.
The U.S. trade representative and India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal have been talking on the phone, with the goal of trading a return to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program for better agricultural access, according to two sources following the trade talks. The original industry complaints about market access filed with USTR, requesting that India be expelled from GSP privileges were from the medical device industry and from the dairy industry. A lawyer following the trade talks said that "there's talk -- and this is still a very contentious issue" -- that the pricing controls on medical devices, such as stents, would be changed in India.
Crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells manufactured in Taiwan and finished in India are considered to be of Taiwan origin and are subject to the Section 201 safeguard measures on solar cells, CBP said in a May 24 ruling. At the time of the ruling (H301813), had the cells been of Indian origin, they would not have been subject to the Section 201 tariffs. As of June 5, though, India is no longer exempt from the safeguards because it was removed from eligibility as a Generalized System of Preferences beneficiary country (see 1906050043). The ruling was in response to an internal advice request through the Industrial and Manufacturing Materials Center of Excellence and Expertise.
American Apparel and Footwear Association CEO Rick Helfenbein will step down Dec. 31, and Executive Vice President Stephen Lamar will become the association’s president and CEO. Helfenbein led AAFA for four years, and the organization pointed to the addition of travel goods to the Generalized System of Preferences as one of the policy victories he achieved. "Rick has led us through some of the most disruptive periods in recent memory -- from the disastrous border adjustment tax to today's trade war with one of our most important trading partners. Throughout this time, he has advised the industry with charm and wit," Chairman Gary Simmons said in a press release announcing the leadership change. "At the same time, we are very excited to promote Stephen Lamar to the role of President and CEO. Many in the industry and policymaking community have grown to depend on Stephen's expertise on how policies impact the industry. His foresight of potential risks and opportunities is unmatched."
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Aug. 23 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):