CBP created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 2402 Feb. 2, containing 3,519 ABI records and 519 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records. The update includes several partner government agency Harmonized Tariff Schedule flag updates, as well as adjustments required by the verification of the 2024 HTS.
Waaree Energies Ltd., an Indian solar panel manufacturer that accounts for about 9% of U.S. imports, has been buying solar cells from Longi, a Chinese manufacturer that Sheffield Hallam University tied to Xinjiang polysilicon.
CBP reminded importers of the upcoming "utilization expiration date" that will determine eligibility for a two-year grace period for solar cells and modules from Southeast Asia that the Commerce Department found are circumventing antidumping and countervailing duties on solar cells from China (see 2308180044).
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 Chinese government is going out of its way to evade forced labor laws by making supply chains less transparent, including by limiting access to corporate information online with "heavy" censorship, Yalkun Uluyol, a researcher at the Forced Labour Lab at Sheffield Hallam University, said at a U.K. Parliament hearing Feb. 6.
Because the FDA is not able to inspect foreign pharmaceutical factories with enough frequency -- and because the quality of those inspections is compromised by several factors -- some suggest that more imported drugs should be inspected at the border to ensure quality.
The Federal Maritime Commission's Feb. 7 informal meeting on the Red Sea shipping-related disruptions will feature opening and closing remarks by the chairman and commissioners, as well as panels featuring representatives from ports, carriers and the shipping industry, according to the schedule released Feb. 2. The hearing was announced in January in response to attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi rebels in Yemen (see 2401120057).
The Border Trade Alliance encouraged Republican governors to work with the federal government to "pursue a border that is defined by security and efficient trade." The BTA, in a letter to Republican Governors Association Chairman Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee that was also sent to 24 other Republican governors, said it is specifically worried about "a federal-state standoff that risks disruptions to legitimate cross-border trade and travel."
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Feb. 5 Federal Register on the following AD/CVD injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department published notices in the Federal Register Feb. 5 on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):