steel

Excess Capacity

On September 30, 2026, members of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC) adopted a Comprehensive Framework for Joint Action (the Framework) to address persistent global steel excess capacity. Representing market-based steel producing economies that account for nearly 56 percent of global steel imports, GFSEC members committed to a coordinated set of actions aimed at restoring a level playing field and protecting the long-term viability of the international steel industry.

GFSEC members include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

On August 4, 2026 the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a notice seeking public comments on expanding tariffs applicable to certain steel, aluminum and copper derivative products under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Section 232) to fourteen (14) additional derivative products.

The list of products proposed to be subject…

In Husch Blackwell’s May 2026 Trade Law Update you’ll learn about the following updates in international trade and supply chain law:

  • An update on U.S. Department of Commerce decisions
  • U.S. International Trade Commission – Section 701/731 proceedings
  • Customs and Border Protection case summaries
  • Summary of decisions from the Court of International Trade

Should you have…

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) issued guidance on how importers need to report and classify goods subject to the revised steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs announced by the Trump Administration on April 2, 2026. We encourage importers to review the list of HTS number affected by the metal tariffs to ensure compliance with the below reporting requirements.

On September 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a Federal Register notice announcing that new tariff reductions on imports from Japan—including automobiles, auto parts, civil aircraft, and certain other goods—will take effect beginning September 16, 2025. These measures implement the U.S.-Japan trade agreement, which was finalized on July 22, 2025, and formalized by Executive Order 14345 signed on September 4, 2025. Please see our previous post here for more details on the U.S.-Japan deal.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the legality of tariffs imposed by President Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This decision follows a series of lower court rulings that challenge the extent of presidential authority in trade matters, particularly concerning the imposition of tariffs without express congressional approval.

In May…

The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) recently announced significant updates to the enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). FLETF, led by the Department of Homeland Security, has expanded its efforts to keep goods produced with forced labor—particularly from China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region—out of the U.S. market. UFLPA was enacted in…

On Friday, August 15th, the U.S. Commerce Department added 407 HTSUS codes to the lists of steel and aluminum products subject to Section 232 tariffs. See Annex I. According to the Federal Register Notice, the steel and aluminum portion will continue to be subject to the Section 232 tariff rate while the remaining content will…