At a White House ceremony on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He met to sign Phase 1 of the Trade Deal that has been negotiated since May 2019 in order to end any further escalation in the trade war between the two countries. The agreement consists of
International Trade Law: 2019 Year in Review & 2020 Outlook
As we kick off a new year, Husch Blackwell’s International Trade and Supply Chain team offers an analysis of events that shaped the international trade landscape in 2019 as well as insight into what international trade issues are on the horizon in 2020 in a recently published white paper.
The “International Trade Law: 2019
U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Passes House, Setting Stage for Vote in the Senate in 2020
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“the USMCA”) passed the U.S. House of Representatives on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 385 to 41. In order to be fully ratified by the United States, the USMCA must now be approved by the U.S. Senate, which has a total of up to 30 session days after the House
U.S. and China Reach “Phase One” Agreement to Resolve Trade War
After a long period of negotiation, Vice Minister Wang Shouwen of China’s Commerce Ministry announced on December 13, 2019 that the U.S. and China have agreed to “phase one” of an agreement to bring an end to the trade war that has disrupted global supply chains since 2018. China’s confirmation came after President Trump approved
Trump Administration and House Democrats Reach Agreement to Move USMCA Forward
On December 10, 2019, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated in a press conference that Democrats had reached an agreement with the Trump Administration on the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) intended as a NAFTA update, clearing the way for Congress to vote on the trade agreement. Speaker Pelosi called the agreement “a victory for America’s workers”
Trump Threatens to Prolong the Trade War with China and Start a New One with France
At a NATO meeting on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, President Trump declared that he was prepared to wait to negotiate a trade agreement with China until after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, dashing hopes that “phase one” of an interim agreement was to be reached soon. The 15% Section 301 List 4b tariffs are likely
Trump Administration to Restore Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Tariffs on Argentina and Brazil
President Trump unexpectedly announced via Twitter on Monday, December 02, 2019 that the 25% Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs that were enforced globally in 2018 would be reinstated on imports from Argentina and Brazil, claiming that a “massive devaluation” of the countries’ currencies has given them an unfair trade advantage. Like Canada and Mexico,
USTR Announces New Section 301 Product Exclusions
On November 26, 2019, the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) issued another round of product exclusions pertaining to the 25% Section 301 List 3 Tariffs. The new list of exclusions includes 32 specifically crafted product descriptions that cover 39 separate exclusion requests. To see the full list of products click here. According to the
U.S. and China Agree to Gradually Eliminate Tariffs
Doubts over the progress of negotiations between the U.S. and China have been raised today as President Trump announced that the U.S. has not agreed to roll back tariffs as part of an agreement to end the trade dispute, contradicting statements from China’s Ministry of Commerce and several news reports. Based on recent news reports,
The Current and Future Status of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer and certain officials in the administration have expressed optimism about the future of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada
On October 23, 2019, Senator Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, stated that he had a “growing worry” about the current progress of USMCA and claimed that the Democrats are stalling in the