International Trade & Supply Chain

The United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) announced the continuation of certain Section 301 investigations related to digital services taxes (“DSTs”) and the termination of certain others.  USTR originally initiated Section 301 DSTs investigations covering several countries on June 2, 2020 in response to those countries’ implementation or consideration of DSTs, which are taxes on revenues

According to media reports, a massive 400-meter container ship operated by Evergreen Marine Corp. in Taiwan, the Ever Given, became stuck in the Suez Canal after apparently running aground due to high winds from a sandstorm. As a result, potentially hundreds of ships cannot pass on either side of the Suez Canal

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) published a notice of product exclusion extensions on March 10, 2021 to extend exclusions from additional Section 301 tariffs for certain medical-care products from China. USTR has extended these product exclusions from March 31, 2021 to September 30, 2021. The product exclusions were previously extended and modified

On March 18, 2021, Katherine Tai was confirmed as the U.S. Trade Representative.  Tai will be the first woman of color in this role.

Tai’s nomination hearing focused on a worker and labor-centric trade policy as well as a return to multilateralism, which we believe will include more active participation in the World Trade Organization. 

Solar panels are once again in the news due to several recent developments.  Due to various trade remedy actions taken over the course of the past few years, solar panels are 45% more expensive in the United States than in Europe and Australia and 50% more expensive in the United States than the global average.

In a joint statement released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”), the U.S. and European Union (“EU”) have agreed to temporarily suspend the additional tariffs from the Large Civil Aircraft Dispute. Goods imported from EU countries, including dairy products and liquors, will temporarily not be subject to the additional 25 percent

In Husch Blackwell’s February 2021 Trade Law Newsletter, you’ll learn about the following updates in international trade and supply chain law:

  • USITC determined that imports of blueberries do not injure U.S. industry
  • USTR and U.S. industry agreed to no change in Section 301 large civil aircraft tariffs
  • Details on Xinjiang regional Withhold Release Order

President Biden issued an “Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains” (the “EO”) on February 24, 2021, ordering 100-day and 1-year reviews of certain critical supply chains. The initial 100-day review aims to assess risks posed to the following critical supply chains:

  • Semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging
  • High-capacity batteries, including electric vehicle batteries
  • Critical