Importer Monarch Metals told the Court of International Trade that its stainless steel wire imports are products of Japan and not China, meaning its goods were improperly subjected to Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs. In a complaint filed June 13, Monarch Metals said that under CBP's prior application of the substantial transformation test to steel wire, no substantial transformation occurs by drawing steel rod into steel wire (Monarch Metals v. United States, CIT # 24-00266).
President Donald Trump, at a June 12 event rolling back a California standard that by 2035, all vehicles sold would be zero-emission, pointed to his original Section 301 tariff on Chinese electric vehicles as the reason you don't see those cars in the U.S.
The value of the steel in refrigerator-freezers; dryers; washing machines; dishwashers; chest and upright freezers; cooking stoves; ranges and ovens; food waste disposals; and welded wire rack will be taxed at 50%, starting on June 23, the Bureau of Industry and Security said in a notice that will be published in the Federal Register June 16.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that if 18 major trading partners negotiate in good faith, "it is highly likely ... we will roll the date forward to continue in good faith negotiations." He was referring to the July 9 deadline when country-specific reciprocal tariffs above 10% are due to return.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is proposing to revise its upcoming Section 301 actions on the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, including fees for vehicle carriers and restrictions on maritime transport services.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of June 2-8:
Importer Hellbender filed a complaint at the Court of International Trade on June 6 arguing that its electronic components are of Taiwanese origin, not Chinese origin, and are thus exempt from Section 301 duties (Hellbender v. United States, CIT # 24-00104).
Expert witnesses testified that the Harmonized Tariff Schedule code needs to be refined so that different sizes of semiconductor chips have their own numbers, and, more radically, suggested that the best way to mitigate overdependence on China for legacy chips is to require importers to report where the chips were designed and fabricated within products they are importing.
House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said his vision of revoking Permanent Normal Trade Relations status for China is not to move Chinese goods to Column 2, but to create a new tariff schedule just for Chinese goods, with high rates reserved for strategic goods. Moolenaar, who has sponsored legislation to end PNTR (see 2501240061), described the approach he'd like to see at a Center for a New Security conference June 3.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the weeks of May 19-25 and May 26 - June 1: