Supply Chain

Earlier this week, 159 trade associations representing key supply chain stakeholders sent a letter to the Biden administration and relevant congressional committees calling on the U.S. government to intervene in the stalled labor contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). On June 10, the ILA issued a press release announcing its refusal to continue negotiations due to an outstanding dispute with a terminal operator involving one Gulf Coast port. The ILA has signaled its willingness to call for a coastwide strike if a new contract agreement is not reached prior to the expiration of the current contract, which covers roughly 45,000 dockworkers at seaports on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts.

On February 28, 2024, Fiber Industries LLC d/b/a Darling Fibers, Nan Ya Plastics Corporation, America, and Sun Fiber LLC (“Petitioners”) filed a Petition for Global Safeguard Relief Pursuant to Sections 201-202 of the Trade Act of 1974 on imports of Fine Denier Polyester Staple Fiber.

SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION

The imported article covered by this petition…

On February 23, 2024, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) issued a Final Rule intended to add clarity to invoicing requirements outlined in the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA 2022). In particular, the Final Rule provides minimum information for demurrage and detention (D&D) invoices and procedures for disputing charges. D&D invoices have created a host of issues for importers and shippers throughout the economy, especially as they relate to the lack of information provided on the invoices.

On December 26, 2023, the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) announced that it will further extend 352 reinstated exclusions and 77 COVID-related exclusions to duties imposed on goods from China pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 until May 31, 2024.  USTR imposed Section 301 duties in four tranches or “lists,” and…

On August 18, 2023, the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) announced its final determination that certain solar cells and modules exported from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are circumventing the antidumping (“AD”) and countervailing (“CVD”) orders on imports from China after conducting its investigation for over 18 months.  Any duties will only go into effect in…

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Check out the latest episode of The Justice Insiders—a podcast hosted by Husch Blackwell partner Gregg Sofer—where we explore the intersection of international trade law and government investigations and enforcement, particularly in connection with Russia.

I previously appeared on Gregg’s podcast during the first quarter of 2022, and we pick up that…

We are pleased to announce that our team’s fourth-annual international trade law year-in-review report was published just before the New Year. In it, we take a detailed look at how 2022 played out and explore how 2023 might develop. As companies continue to work through the challenges associated with supply chain dislocations, geopolitical turmoil, and…

On June 13th, Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) released its Operational Guidance For Importers to prepare companies for the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (“UFLPA”). UFLPA enforcement is set to take effect June 21st and will apply a rebuttable presumption standard to imports tied in whole or in part to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region or entities identified by the U.S. government on the soon to be published UFLPA Entity List.

Some commercial truck traffic could be moving again at one border bridge as late this afternoon. On April 14, 2022, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced an agreement with Nuevo León Governor Samuel Alejandro García Sepúlveda for heightened inspections on Mexico’s side of the border at the Columbia bridge and the lifting of increased security measures…