The implementation of new 25% Section 232 duties on steel, aluminum, and certain derivatives, effective March 12, 2025, which are in addition to any special rate of duty otherwise applicable, are affecting importers globally. Here is a breakdown of what these new tariffs entail:Continue Reading Overview of Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum: What Importers Need to Know
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 announcement. The EO imposes a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the United States beginning April 3, 2025.Continue Reading Blockading the Ports: U.S. Imposes 10% Global Tariff; Higher Reciprocal Tariff Rates by Country
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 creative methods to deliver aggressive new tariff policies this year.Continue Reading Trump Tariffs Survival Guide: 10 Strategies for U.S. Importers
On October 28, 2024, the U.S. Department of Treasury released a pre-publication version of its final rule containing the outbound investment regulations.Continue Reading At Long Last, Final Rule for Outbound Investment Regulations Published
In 2021, the EU adopted an updated version of the EU Dual-Use Regulation, which establishes common standards for the control of dual-use item exports by EU member states. Among its new provisions, Regulation (EU) 2021/821 introduced, in its Article 5, a “catch-all control” for cyber-surveillance items.Continue Reading EU’s New Export Due Diligence Guidelines: Keeping Tabs on Cyber-Surveillance Technology
Effective July 10, 2024, President Biden issued two Presidential Proclamations aimed at refining the tariff exclusions under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 for steel and aluminum imports from Mexico. Together, the Proclamations close loopholes whereby steel and aluminum from outside North America could avoid tariffs by shipping through Mexico. Those Proclamations reflect a concerted effort between the United States and Mexico to refine tariff exclusions, enhance regulatory oversight, and ensure compliance with international trade agreements. Importers of steel and aluminum now face heightened compliance burdens under the new regulations. The measures aim not only to safeguard domestic industries from unfair trade practices but also to establish a transparent and compliant framework for equitable trade relations.Continue Reading Closing the Southern Border to Indirect Chinese Imports: U.S. Proclamations on Steel and Aluminum Imports from Mexico
In an era where technological prowess and economic security are more entangled than ever, the United States has refined its approach towards restricting outbound investments. As we have been blogging since 2022, the past two years have seen efforts to restrict outbound investments for national security reasons. Those efforts come both from Congress through legislation and the White House through Executive Order.Continue Reading Proposed Outbound Investment Regulations: Understanding the New Restrictions on U.S. Outbound Investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductors, and Quantum Computing
The White House at 5 am this morning in DC released its decision on the new section 301 tariffs. There is a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs effective this year (which is in addition to the usual 2.5% import duty on cars).
The tariff rate on Chinese lithium-ion EV batteries will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2024, while the tariff rate on lithium-ion non-EV batteries will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2026. The tariff rate on Chinese battery parts will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2024.Continue Reading The Sky’s the Limit – Yet More Section 301 Tariffs on China
Key Takeaways
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) may have been replaced effective July 1, 2020 by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), but the rules of NAFTA remain alive and well in the halls of the enforcement agencies on both sides of the border.Continue Reading Gone but Not Forgotten: The Continuing Importance of NAFTA Compliance
On March 31, 2023, the U.S. Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released proposed guidance clarifying how manufacturers may meet the critical minerals and battery sourcing requirements for the clean vehicle tax credit under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”). The IRA substantially modified the tax credit incentive structure of the Internal Revenue Code as it relates to electric vehicles (“EV”). As the demand for lithium and critical minerals is higher than ever, taxpayers and EV manufacturers alike have been eagerly anticipating this guidance.Continue Reading Tax Credits for Electric Vehicle Batteries Under the Inflation Reduction Act: Free Trade Agreement Edition