International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Feb. 18-21 in case they were missed.
Correction: The Justice Department did not admit that PrimeSource is likely to succeed on the merits in its challenge to Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum “derivatives,” as part of its agreement on a preliminary injunction temporarily stopping collection of the duties on entries from PrimeSource (see 2002200025).
The Court of International Trade on Feb. 21 issued an order blocking Section 232 “derivatives” tariffs on a second importer. The preliminary injunction stops CBP from collecting the tariffs on Oman Fasteners, and also sets bond requirements similar to those found in another preliminary injunction CIT recently issued for another importer, PrimeSource (see 2002140040). CIT Chief Judge Timothy Stanceu, who is also judge in the PrimeSource case, issued the order.
A third importer has now requested a court order blocking collection of new Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum “derivatives," and two others are not far behind. Huttig Building Products filed a lawsuit at the Court of International Trade on Feb. 18 challenging the new tariffs, and a day later asked for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would bar imposition of the tariffs on entries from Huttig and its affiliate while the court considers the legal challenge. Astrotech Steels and Trinity Steel filed their own complaints on Feb. 20, though as of press time they had not yet asked the court to order a halt to the tariffs.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Feb. 10-16:
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Feb. 10-14 in case they were missed.
The International Trade Commission recently issued two new revisions to the 2019 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Changes include new and amended exclusions from Section 301 tariffs from China, as well as a decrease in tariffs for goods on list 4A. The ITC also implemented new Section 232 tariffs on some finished goods of steel and aluminum that took effect Feb. 8, as well as a shift to a quarterly tariff-rate quota for imports of large residential washers subject to Section 201 safeguard duties.
Nine pro-free-trade Democrats sent a letter to the White House Feb. 13 demanding that the administration release its autos Section 232 report -- as required by law -- and abandon the idea of hiking tariffs on imported autos and auto parts. The letter says that despite the White House receiving the report a year ago, it's hidden from Congress and the public. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said earlier this week that he still wants the auto 232 report, despite the administration's claim it's protected by executive privilege (see 2002120023).
Correction: A preliminary injunction issued Feb. 13 by the Court of International Trade says CBP cannot collect “duty deposits” entries of goods from a single importer, PrimeSource, for new Section 232 tariffs on finished steel and aluminum products that took effect Feb. 8.
A challenge to Section 232 tariffs that began Feb. 8 on finished steel and aluminum products could proceed quickly, if the Court of International Trade approves a jointly proposed schedule filed Feb. 14 that would have written arguments in the case wrapped up by May. CIT a day earlier issued a preliminary injunction barring CBP from collecting the tariffs from the importer that filed the lawsuit, PrimeSource. Oman Fasteners has requested a similar injunction in a separate case, but as of press time the court had not ruled on the motion. The preliminary injunction for PrimeSource results from an agreement between the government and PrimeSource nine days after the lawsuit was filed.