The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 30 - April 5:
The annual U.S. Trade Agenda puts more emphasis on heralding past “America First” victories than setting up this year's agenda, but there are tidbits throughout the more-than-300-page report that give hints to what might come in trade. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said it “is hopeful that [the U.S.] can make more progress in the coming year than has been possible in prior years” in trade negotiations with the European Union.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is open to a panoply of requests related to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program, with a deadline of the end of the day March 26 for petitions. Parties can ask USTR to modify the GSP status of countries because of those countries' practices; argue for or against GSP eligibility for products (either currently covered by GSP or not); argue against de minimis waivers for specific products; or argue for Competitive Need Limit (CNL) waivers. Submissions are preferred in electronic form here.
Six Democratic senators recently sent a letter that calls for suspending Generalized System of Preferences program benefits if labor rights violations are found in the Philippines. The senators also oppose a free trade agreement with the Philippines. This letter, sent Feb. 11, follows a letter from House Democrats in 2018 that also argued that the Philippines is not the right target for a free trade deal, given the human rights violations there (see: 1809050040). “We are gravely concerned that our trade policy could be mistaken for condoning the labor and human rights violations perpetrated by President Duterte,” wrote Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore; Robert Menendez, D-N.J.; Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Bob Casey, D-Pa. They asked for an out-of-cycle review for GSP eligibility over human rights and labor rights, and for a quick suspension from the program if violations are substantiated.
At a press event during President Donald Trump's visit to India, both he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were vague on how trade tensions might be eased between the two countries. A senior administration official said before the trip that India's announcement of higher tariffs precluded a mini-deal that would have restored India to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program (see 2002210041). Trump said he'd been talking with Modi about how to forge an economic relationship “that is fair and reciprocal. Our teams have made tremendous progress on a comprehensive trade agreement and I’m optimistic we can reach a deal that will be of great importance to both countries.” He said U.S. exports to India are up nearly 60 percent since he took office.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he doesn't expect the U.S. to negotiate over the tariffs it has put on European goods like Airbus planes, Scotch whiskey, French wine, and Spanish wine and olive oil until the World Trade Organization rules on Boeing subsidies. Currently, there are 10% tariffs on Airbus planes and 25% tariffs on the wine, liquor and food items; the aircraft tariff is set to climb to 15% on March 18. The Boeing ruling is not expected for several months.
While a small deal could be announced during President Donald Trump's trip early next week to India, senior White House officials say that will be purchase announcements, not a full or partial restoration of India to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program. While they declined to go into specifics on what the sticking points have been in talks on improving market access, they noted that the complaints of U.S. exporters are well known.
A restoration of India to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program that's been under negotiation for more than six months (see 1909060029) is unlikely to be announced during President Donald Trump's trip to India next week, the U.S.-India Business Council said Feb. 20. Nisha Biswal, president of the USIBC, said on a conference call with reporters, “It does look at this juncture that we may not have a trade agreement as part of the president’s visit … which is of course a disappointment to our members.”
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he doesn't think the Trump administration will ever levy an additional 25% tax on imported autos, even as President Donald Trump continues to mention that threat in an effort to get European negotiators to open up to American agriculture exports. Grassley, who was responding to a reporter's question on how to get the European Union to bend during a conference call Feb. 18, said he doesn't think the EU will negotiate much on ag.
House Ways and Means Committee ranking member Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said he hopes India's eligibility for the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program is restored, but cautioned that India is hard to pin down on opening market access -- which is the administration's requirement for even partial restoration. Brady touched on tariffs, negotiations and implementation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement as he took questions from reporters late Feb. 12 at the Capitol.