On July 28, 2023, Brooklyn Bedding LLC; Carpenter Co., Corsicana Mattress Company; Future Foam, Inc.; FXI, Inc.; Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc.; Leggett & Platt, Incorporated; Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC; Southerland, Inc.; Tempur Sealy International; the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International

As part of the U.S. Government’s ongoing response to the military coup in Burma (Myanmar), the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) added four entities to the Entity List effective July 6, 2021 and the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) added twenty-two individuals to the Specially Designated Nationals

On March 29th, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) announced the suspension of all U.S. engagements with Burma (Myanmar) under the 2013 Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (“TIFA”), effective immediately.  Pursuant to this announcement, the United States will be suspending all government-to-government meetings following the military coup that occurred in February and the related escalation in violence by Burma’s military against its people.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued final rules amending the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) by implementing new export controls on Burma (Myanmar), and adding four entities linked to the recent coup to the Entity List.  These final rules effective March 8, 2021 come less than a month after President

On February 1, 2021, the military of Burma (Myanmar) in an unanticipated coup d’état installed General Min Aung Hlaing as leader and detained the country’s top elected leaders, including the President and Prime Minister. In response, on February 10, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14014 (the “E.O.”) authorizing the U.S. Department of Treasury’s (“Treasury”)

On September 14, 2016 the President issued a proclamation ending a U.S. government suspension issued in 1989 and restoring trade benefits to Burma, plus new trade benefits not previously granted, under the Generalized System of Preferences (“GSP”). The GSP is a duty reduction measure, which provides cost savings and applies to goods covered under thousands of individual tariff provisions. In short, the GSP permits duty-free entry for qualifying goods.

The restored benefits and new benefits for qualifying goods become effective November 13, 2016.

On October 7, 2016, President Obama signed Executive Order 13742, terminating sanctions on more than 200 Burmese businesses and individuals. The Order eliminates prior restrictions on business with Burmese banks, permits the import of Burmese jadeite and rubies, and allows investment reporting through the State Department’s Responsible Investment Reporting Requirements to be made on a voluntary basis. Burma will now receive duty-free treatment on more than 5,000 products exported to the United States.