Some importers are finding, to their surprise, that the Trump Administration’s 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel create an exemption from the 125% tariffs on Chinese goods.
The Trump tariff agenda has been complex, to say...more
5/7/2025
/ China ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Executive Orders ,
Imports ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
International Trade ,
Popular ,
Section 232 ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
US Trade Policies
The second Trump administration has come flying out of the starting blocks on international trade policy actions—imposing and rescinding, shaping and reshaping tariffs, sanctions, and export controls. The executive orders and...more
The second Trump administration has come flying out of the starting blocks on international trade policy actions—imposing and rescinding, shaping and reshaping tariffs, sanctions, and export controls. The executive orders and...more
The second Trump administration has come flying out of the starting blocks on international trade policy actions—imposing and rescinding, shaping and reshaping tariffs, sanctions, and export controls. The executive orders and...more
4/24/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
National Security ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Russia ,
Semiconductors ,
Technology Sector ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. Commerce Department
On April 2, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) imposing global reciprocal tariffs (White House Fact Sheet). The EO drew enough parallels to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act that Trump mentioned it in his Rose Garden...more
On February 1, 2025, President Trump issued three executive orders imposing tariffs on nearly all imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. However, on February 3, the President said on social media that the tariffs on Canada...more
2/6/2025
/ Canada ,
China ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Executive Orders ,
Imports ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
Mexico ,
National Security ,
Section 301 ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration
Tariffs remain the focus of the incoming Trump Administration. Over the past several months, the announcements from president-elect Trump and his transition team have been dynamic. We expect the Trump trade policy team to use...more
1/15/2025
/ China ,
Importers ,
Imports ,
National Security ,
Section 232 ,
Section 301 ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Policy ,
Trump Administration ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
As we pass the midpoint of a year marked by assertive enforcement of dual use laws, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published an updated version of its Don’t Let This Happen to You! Guide....more
7/16/2024
/ Antiboycott Requirements ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Entity List ,
Export Controls ,
Huawei ,
Licensing Rules ,
Self-Disclosure Requirements ,
Semiconductors ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
Voluntary Disclosure
The solar industry is starting to get whiplash. Over the past year in particular, the industry has experienced a whirlwind of regulatory changes making solar tariffs some of the most complex tariffs in all of U.S. importing...more
6/19/2024
/ Anti-Dumping Duty ,
Batteries ,
Cambodia ,
China ,
Countervailing Duties ,
Energy Sector ,
Imports ,
Malaysia ,
Manufacturers ,
Popular ,
Section 201 ,
Solar Energy ,
Solar Panels ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Thailand ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) ,
Vietnam
On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released a package of three rules (the 2023 Rules) targeting the Chinese semiconductor industry. The rules update the substantial semiconductor...more
10/23/2023
/ China ,
Commerce Control List ,
ECCNs ,
Entity List ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Semiconductors ,
Software ,
Technology ,
Trade Restrictions
As you may have heard here (and here and here), in October 2022, the United States issued sweeping measures aimed at the semiconductor industry in China. The new regulations restrict the export of semiconductors and related...more
12/21/2022
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Japan ,
Microchip Technology ,
Netherlands ,
New Regulations ,
Semiconductors ,
Supply Chain ,
WTO
As we close out a wild year for international trade regulation, after hearing much talk about outbound investment review mechanisms, we may see a final dramatic change before the ball drops...more
12/21/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Executive Orders ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
International Relations ,
International Trade ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
National Security ,
NDAA ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Technology ,
U.S. Treasury
Key Takeaways Background Since October 7, 2022, when the Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) dropped 140 pages of regulations on the semiconductor industry, U.S. passport and green card holders working at Chinese chip...more
On November 15, 2022, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) opened its docket (USTR-2022-0014) seeking public comments in its review of Lists 1 and 2 of the Trump-era tariffs on Chinese imports. The tariffs were...more
11/18/2022
/ China ,
Modification ,
Public Comment ,
Questionnaires ,
Small Business ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Act of 1974 ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
USTR ,
Wages
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced the next steps in its review of Lists 1 and 2 of the Trump-era tariffs on Chinese imports. Today, on October 17, 2022, USTR published the official request for...more
The Announcement On Friday, October 7, 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released for public inspection (available ...) one hundred forty pages of regulations (which we’ll call “the Regulation” here) that...more
10/11/2022
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Depositions ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Microchip Technology ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Semiconductors ,
Technology
Today, the United States Trade Representative issued a notice informing the importing community about a new Section 301 exclusion process and seeking comments from affected importers. The comment period begins on October 12,...more
The Silica Products WRO -
On June 24, the White House announced the first strike against forced labor in the solar equipment manufacturing industry. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO)...more
On June 10, 2021, China enacted the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law (“AFSL”), aimed at punishing countries that impose anti-China sanctions and the companies that comply with those sanctions. The law is effective immediately, and...more
The United States is taking increasingly aggressive actions to prohibit imports from China that may have been produced by forced labor. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, China has arbitrarily detained more than one...more
On January 13, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) on cotton and tomato products produced by entities operating in Xinjiang, China. The order is based on information that...more
1/27/2021
/ China ,
Customs ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Due Diligence ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Forced Labor ,
Importers ,
Imports ,
Pending Legislation ,
Supply Chain ,
Withhold Release Orders (WROs)
On December 29, 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) posted a notice granting new Section 301 product exclusions and extending existing exclusions for COVID-19 medical care products. This action is in response to USTR’s...more
1/13/2021
/ China ,
Comment Period ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Exclusions ,
Imports ,
International Harmonization ,
Medical Supplies ,
Section 301 ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Relations ,
US Trade Policies ,
USTR
Most of you already know Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 because of the Trump Administration’s massive China tariffs under Section 301. Now it’s time to get acquainted with a separate process that may result in tariffs...more
1/12/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
China ,
Currency Manipulation ,
Foreign Currency ,
Foreign Exchanges ,
Section 301 ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Act of 1974 ,
U.S. Treasury ,
USTR ,
Vietnam
Over the past few weeks, we have been speculating on the international trends and tides we expect to see in the next four years under a new U.S. presidential administration. So that you can enjoy our prognostications (before...more
12/17/2020
/ Asia ,
Biden Administration ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
EU ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Foreign Policy ,
Iran Sanctions ,
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ,
National Security ,
Recovery Plans ,
Russia ,
Trump Administration ,
UK
On December 2, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued an order preventing certain imported cotton products from China from being released to the importer. The products were made by Xinjian Production and Construction...more