Donald Trump’s first term as president was a seismic shift in U.S. trade policy. He launched a tariff war with China, pulled out of major trade agreements, and earned the nickname “Tariff Man.” Now, if he wins re-election, expect the ground to tremble again. Trump’s campaign documents and interviews hint at a second term filled […]
Read MoreDouble Trouble: Global supply chains are bracing for a potential “milder version” of the pandemic’s crisis due to disruptions at both the Suez and Panama Canals. Attacks by Houthi militants in the Red Sea have forced shipping companies to reroute vessels, adding 7-10 days to voyages and potentially doubling ocean freight prices. Meanwhile, drought-induced restrictions […]
Read MoreSwitzerland, known for its delicious cheese and pricey price tags, is making a bold move against its notorious high cost of living by ditching most industrial tariffs starting in January. This means 95% of imports (up from 81%) will cruise into the country duty-free, potentially translating to cheaper cars, appliances, and clothes. But wait, there’s […]
Read MoreA bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced a bill on Wednesday that would eliminate a tariff exemption that is widely used by e-commerce sellers to send orders from China to US shoppers. The exemption, known as the de minimis rule, currently exempts imports valued at $800 or less from tariffs if the items are shipped […]
Read MoreU.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Thursday rebuffed appeals from senators to begin negotiating trade agreements that would cut tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports. “At this moment we do not have tariff liberalization negotiations going on with a partner,” Tai told the Senate Finance Committee. Tai left open the possibility for that to change, saying […]
Read MoreThe Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) today released a statement regarding a report by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) analyzing the effects of Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs on more than $300 billion of U.S. imports. The USITC report found that the tariffs reduced imports from China, effectively stimulated more U.S. production of […]
Read MoreUSTR formally announced Wednesday that the agency will open a portal on November 15 to receive public comment on “the effectiveness of the (Section 301 / China tariff) actions in achieving the objectives of the investigation, other actions that could be taken, and the effects of such actions on the United States economy, including consumers.” This is the next […]
Read MoreOne of the hopes of the trade community when the Biden Administration was sworn in was that “something” would be done about the China 301 tariffs. To this point, there are no changes. In fact, while there was optimism at the outset, the reality is that no one in D.C. has a “better” vehicle for […]
Read MoreThe U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced increased monitoring requirements for alliance carrier operations. The three global ocean carrier alliances (2M Alliance, Ocean Alliance, and The Alliance) and each of their member companies will now be required to provide enhanced pricing and capacity information. This information will help the FMC assess ocean carrier behavior and marketplace competitiveness. The […]
Read MoreAfter 5 months of consideration the U.S. Trade Representative released a list of products that would once again be subject for an exclusion from Section 301 duties until December 31, 2022. On March 23, 2022, the USTR reinstated 352 previously extended exclusions. Qualifying products can claim the exclusion immediately, and the exclusions are retroactive to […]
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