On September 1, 2020 the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Department of Agriculture, and Department of Commerce issued a 32-page report outlining the Trump Administration’s plan to address increased foreign imports of perishable fruits and vegetables. Following the public hearings held in August, the Administration published this report in hopes to open a dialogue with senior Mexican Government officials over the next 90 days regarding specific produce.
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Petition Summary: Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico
On June 30, 2020, Insteel Industries Inc., Mid-South Wire Company, National Wire LLC, Oklahoma Steel &Wire Co., and Wire Mesh Corp. (“Petitioners”), filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on standard steel welded wire mesh from Mexico.
SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION
The scope of this investigation covers uncoated standard welded steel
USTR Releases Uniform Regulations for U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) released the final implementing regulations of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) on June 3, 2020, an important step for when the USMCA goes into effect on July 1, 2020. The implementing regulations cover the interpretation, application, and administration of the rules of origin, textile and apparel
President Trump Signs U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
President Trump signed the implementing legislation for the USMCA yesterday, making the United States the second of the three countries, after Mexico last December, to sign the agreement. The USMCA will not take effect until 90 days after it is ratified by Canada. The Liberals currently operate a minority government, and while the Conservatives have
U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Passes Senate
Today, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 89 to 10. While some Senators expressed disapproval over the deal for various reasons, passage of the USMCA enjoyed a great deal of bipartisan support after Democrats in the House of Representatives negotiated for more labor enforcement mechanisms that earned the endorsement
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”
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
July Trade Law Update: U.S. Department of Commerce Decisions
Investigations
- Certain Steel Wheels 12 to 16.5 Inches in Diameter from the People’s Republic of China: On July 9, 2019, Commerce released the final affirmative Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty determinations and final affirmative determinations of Critical Circumstances.
- Diamond Sawblades and Parts Thereof: On July 16, 2019, Commerce released its final determination of Anti-Circumvention Inquiry.
- Certain Steel Racks and Parts Thereof from the People’s: On July 24, 2019, Commerce released the final affirmative Countervailing Duty determination and Antidumping Duty determination.
- Glycine from the People’s Republic of China: On July 25, 2019, Commerce released a notice of correction to the final affirmative Countervailing Duty determination and Countervailing Duty Order.
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Petition Summary: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Sheet from Korea, Mexico, and Oman
On July 8, 2019, Petitioners Advanced Extrusion Inc. (“Advanced Extrusion”), Ex-Tech Plastics, Inc. (“Ex-Tech”), and Multi-Plastics Extrusions, Inc. (“Multi-Plastics”) filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping duties on imports of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Sheet from Korea, Mexico and Oman.
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June Trade Law Update: Court Decisions
Court of International Trade
Summary of Decisions
19-66
On June 3, 2019, in the ongoing case of determining whether or not Plaintiff Midwest Fastener’s zinc and nylon anchor products are considered to be nails, the CIT sustained the Department of Commerce’s final results of the redetermination pursuant to the Court Remand. The CIT concluded that Plaintiff’s zinc and nylon anchors do not function like nails and are considered a separate type of product from nails by the relevant industry. Commerce’s remand results were sustained and Plaintiff Midwest Fastener’s products were excluded from the scope.
19-69
On June 6, the CIT denied Plaintiffs Confederacion de Asociaciones Agricolas del Estado de Sinaloa, Consejo Agricola de Baja California, Asociacion Mexicana de Horticultura Protegida, Asociacion de Productores de Hortalizas del Yaqui y Mayo, and Sistem Producto Tomate (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) motion for a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) and preliminary injunction (“PI”) in the antidumping duty investigation of tomatoes from Mexico. The Court determined that the Plaintiffs had not met their burden to establish the likelihood of success on the merits and irreparable harm absent injunctive relief. They also had failed to establish if the hardships tip in favor of denying the Plaintiff’s motion. The Court also found the public interest to be neutral. For those reasons the CIT denied the plaintiff’s motions.
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