CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
Section 301 tariff exclusions
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has established an exclusion process for Section 301 tariffs on China. In a series of rounds since the tariffs took effect, importers have been able to request exclusions from the tariffs, as well as extensions to existing exclusions. Many exclusions have been allowed to expire, as well. Section 301 exclusions are applicable to all importers of a given good, which may be defined as an entire tariff schedule subheading or a subset of a subheading outlined in a written description.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 18-24:
With negotiations expected to begin in earnest soon on the House and Senate's trade packages, staffers in both chambers of Congress say there could be support for antidumping and countervailing duty reform and language around Section 301 tariff exclusions, but the likelihood of a dramatic de minimis change seems somewhat remote.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 11-17:
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.
Coalition for a Prosperous America trade counsel Charles Benoit slammed Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, calling him "chief betrayer" for the trade title he was integral in shaping in the Senate China package, known as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act or USICA. In an April 14 blog post, Benoit said that Crapo, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is "laser focused on making imports as cheap and easy as possible." Benoit said that "USICA’s trade title is cancerous to its core -- akin to committing economic treason against American workers and industry." He said the Section 301 exclusion process requirements are the worst, but he also criticized the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill renewal, which would continue the ability of finished goods to qualify for unilateral tariff reduction or elimination. "If Republicans don’t abandon his betrayal of our nation, the GOP will spend another decade tarnished as the party of globalization, big tech, and the hollowing out of our country," Benoit wrote. Crapo's office declined to comment.
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.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce continues to argue against including rewrites to antidumping duty and countervailing duty laws, and calls for tariff relief, John Murphy, the lead advocate on trade for the group, blogged about their trade priorities.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said it would be good if the House and Senate could name their respective conferees to the committee that will aim to hash out a compromise between the two chambers' China packages. He said the next two weeks, when Congress will not be in Washington, could be put to good use by the members. But Hoyer suggested the House will wait until the Senate passes its motion to go to conference, and gives its negotiating instructions.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 28 - April 3: