The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, has made changes to which flora and fauna species are listed in its Appendix I and Appendix II, according to a Jan. 13 notice from the Fish and Wildlife Service.

While the Venezuela military action doesn't affect trade substantially, a panel of experts said the fallout with regard to President Donald Trump's comments about Greenland afterward could "blow up the U.S.-EU deal."

The FCC is exempting some drones and drone components from its “covered list” of goods prohibited for import or sale because they pose unacceptable risks to national security, it said this week. After adding all foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems and “critical component parts” of unmanned aircraft systems in December (see 2512220069), the commission is now exempting UAS and UAS critical components included on the Defense Department’s blue list, as well as UAS and UAS critical components “that qualify as ‘domestic end products’ under the Buy American Standard.” The exemptions will remain in place until Jan. 1, 2027.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican and self-proclaimed free trader, said the president should lose in the Supreme Court on his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs.

Congress may want to assert itself on trade in softwood lumber, whether by codifying higher tariffs to protect the U.S. lumber industry, or by pushing for a new softwood lumber agreement to end trade remedies. A Dec. 30 Congressional Research Service report also said that Congress could commission a report "on the benefits and costs of softwood lumber duties for the U.S. economy."

Starting Jan. 7, shipments of Anguilla rostrata (American eel) in and out of the U.S. will require appropriate documentation acknowledging the species' inclusion in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), according to a Fish and Wildlife Service notice. This may consist of a CITES export permit, CITES certificate of origin or CITES re-export certificate.

The Trump administration’s China policy looks more like an effort to preserve the fragile trade truce than a negotiation toward a comprehensive trade agreement, according to former U.S. trade officials during a webinar hosted by the Washington International Trade Association last week.

The International Trade Commission is accepting proposals for changes to the World Customs Organization’s Harmonized System tariff schedule for potential adoption in 2033, it said in a notice. The proposals will be reviewed by the ITC, CBP and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and will be "made a part of the Commission’s record keeping system and available for public inspection." Proposals are due to the ITC by Oct. 1, 2027.

Workers' rights activists during a panel discussion this week praised the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act but warned that enforcement is slowing under the Trump administration.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that his office will be investigating online retailer Shein for "potential violations" of Texas law, according to a Dec. 1 press statement.