Citing forced labor indicators, CBP has issued a withhold release order blocking imports of bicycles, bicycle parts and accessories from Taiwanese manufacturer Giant Manufacturing.

As the trade braces for a possible government shutdown amid the budget impasse in Congress, federal agencies are dusting off their contingency plans while the trade association representing customs brokers continues to offer suggestions about which activities are deemed essential for trade compliance.

The Commerce Department launched an investigation on Sept. 2 on the import of industrial machinery and robotics, and whether domestic producers should be protected in order to improve U.S. national security.

The Commerce Department revealed it started an investigation three weeks ago on the import of and supply chains for personal protective equipment, medical consumables, medical equipment and medical devices.

Tariff cuts for automobiles and auto parts take retroactive effect Aug. 1, said the Commerce Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in a notice implementing that and other parts of the recent U.S.-EU trade deal.

International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Sept. 23 set aside part of the Federal Maritime Commission's rule limiting the parties against whom "demurrage and detention" fees may be assessed. Judges Sri Srinivasan, Robert Wilkins and J. Michelle Childs held that the commission arbitrarily and capriciously exempted motor carriers from being assessed these fees, given the FMC's "stated rationale" to confine fees to parties who are in a "contractual relationship with the billing party."

CBP failed to explain its finding that Dominican exporter Kingtom Aluminio made its aluminum extrusions with forced labor, the Court of International Trade held on Sept. 23. Vacating and remanding the forced labor finding, Judge Timothy Reif said the agency failed to "articulate a satisfactory explanation for its action” based on a “rational connection between the facts found and the choice made" in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act's arbitrary and capricious standard.

National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America leadership raised concerns about the Section 232 tariff inclusion process and plans for an external revenue service in recent meetings on Capitol Hill and with agency officials, NCBFAA customs counsel Lenny Feldman said in an interview.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, at the Council on Foreign Relations, emphasized that Canada is aware that its proximity to the U.S. is no longer so enviable, since U.S. economic strategy "has clearly changed, from the support for the multilateral system to a more transactional and managed bilateral trade and investment approach."