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If your company is like many, your board of directors may be demanding that you put more effort into environmental, social, and governance issues, which have become known by the now-ubiquitous acronym “ESG.” Those demands don’t come from nowhere: consumers are demanding transparency and social responsibility. In particular, if your company does business internationally, regulators are focused on international social justice issues (such as the use of forced labor) more than ever.
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Continue Reading Does Your Trade Policy Support Your Company’s Values?

Companies are putting forth more effort, thought, commitment, and resources into environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) considerations across their business lines. The focus of ESG has primarily centered around climate change and sustainability, but the “S” in ESG is becoming increasingly important to consumers and other stakeholders. As global corporate citizens become more vocal about asserting their identity and values, it is critical to think about how their global trade and compliance policies and supply chains reflect those values. Issues like forced labor in the supply chain, third party diligence, and how to build an ethical culture are part and parcel of a strong compliance program. But these issues also present opportunities for companies to reflect their values in a fundamental way and speak to what consumers are demanding with their dollars.
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Continue Reading ESG, Global Trade, and Forced Labor: Aligning Compliance with Company Values

Taking a break from reporting on COVID-19 legal developments, we turn for a moment to what is happening now on export control of autonomous vehicle technology.

The autonomous vehicle R&D sector is booming, largely in the last three years. Companies are investing in sensor technology and machine learning, and creating pilot programs to test self-driving cars both for individuals and ride-sharing purposes.

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Continue Reading The Emerging Landscape for Export Controls on Autonomous Vehicle Technology

On November 26, 2019, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a proposed rule that could change how you procure IT goods and services.

The rule

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Continue Reading Where’d You Get Your Tech? New Rules May Allow the U.S. Government to Unwind Your Latest IT Transaction

On March 8, the U.S. government signaled regulatory changes that may create new opportunities for international collaboration on satellite development, global sales of satellite and launch equipment, and even sharing launch technology.

. . . and the Government wants you to weigh in.…
Continue Reading Clear for More Takeoffs: Now is the Time to Have Your Voice Heard on New Satellite and Launch Regulations

As the Trump administration comes into its third month, we have clues, but must speculate on how that administration will modify Iran sanctions, NAFTA, foreign investment, and tariffs on China. In contrast, recently issued executive orders shed clear light on the Trump administration’s approach to antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD). (See our August 2016 blog for a general background on AD/CVD.)…
Continue Reading Preparing For Heightened Antidumping and Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD) Enforcement Under the Trump Administration

For the first time since the era of pagers, dial-up, and Y2K hysteria, U.S. trade remedy cases are experiencing a resurgence. Under U.S. law, U.S. producers of goods may petition the U.S. government to impose extra tariffs on the import of competing goods deemed to be traded unfairly.…
Continue Reading The Revival of the Age of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Cases

On February 19, 2014, the U.S. Commerce Department announced that it had reached an agreement with Santa Clara-based Intevac, Inc. to settle allegations that Intevac violated U.S. export regulations governing exports of technology.  Under the agreement, Intevac agreed to pay a civil penalty of $115,000.…
Continue Reading Tech Company Shares Tech, Makes Self-Disclosure, Pays Penalty

Next week will mark one year since President Obama introduced the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) to the nation in his State of the Union Address.  Although the TTIP received only a brief nod in the President’s speech, the TTIP initiative has moved forward at a stunning pace . . . well, a stunning pace for an international trade negotiation, a process that normally crawls along.  As discussed in this blog, the U.S. and European parties to this proposed partnership set an ambitious goal of finalizing an agreement by the end of 2014.  A year into the process, we take a look at the progress to date and the challenges to come.…
Continue Reading Just the TTIP: A Review of the Transatlantic Partnership Agreement One Year After It Is Introduced to America