CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
CBP is extending the run of its Vessel Entrance and Clearance Automation Test by 24 months, to Feb. 21, 2027, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Feb. 25 publication. CBP said the test allows participants to submit the vessel entry and clearance data required on CBP forms 26 (Report of Diversion), 226 (Record of Vessel Foreign Repair or Equipment Purchase), 1300 (Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement), 1302 (Inward Cargo Declaration), 1303 (Ship's Stores Declaration), 1304 (Crew's Effects Declaration) and 3171 (Application-Permit-Special License Unlading-Lading-Overtime Services), and to make certain entry and clearance requests and reports, electronically through the VECS, the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System. Comments on the test or the notice may be submitted at any time during the test period.
The U.S. government is considering charging fees ranging from $500,000 to $1.5 million each time a ship docks at a U.S. port, with higher fees charged when Chinese vessels enter; South Korean or Japanese-built ships wouldn't avoid the fees, however, as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative seems to have taken earlier criticisms into account that global shipping companies would own just as many Chinese ships but use them at other destinations.
The former chief counsel for trade enforcement strategy at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, who led the four-year review of Section 301 tariffs and the launch of a Section 301 investigation on mature chips, has joined DLA Piper as a partner in the national security and global trade practice. Brian Janovitz worked at USTR for more than 10 years, and also was involved in litigation, such as the biotech corn dispute, which the U.S. won.
The reciprocal tariffs the Trump administration has promised will present a challenge for CBP to enforce, trade lawyers said during a webinar presented by Baker McKenzie on Feb. 20.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Feb. 21 Federal Register on the following antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
The International Trade Commission seeks comments by March 4 on a Section 337 complaint alleging that imports of semiconductor devices infringe patents held by Longitude Licensing and Marlin Semiconductor Limited, it said in a notice to be published Feb.24. According to the complaint, the complainants are seeking a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders against Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Apple, Broadcom, Lenovo, OnePlus, Motorola Mobile Communication Technology Ltd. and Qualcomm to bar from entry "certain foreign-fabricated semiconductor devices, products containing the same, and components thereof" that violate the complainant's patents. The categories of the articles involved are "non-x86 semiconductor devices, consisting of semiconductor wafers or semiconductor dies, manufactured using TSMC’s 7 nm and smaller process nodes outside of the United States."
The International Trade Commission is beginning a Section 337 investigation on motorized self-balancing vehicles (ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1440), after receiving allegations filed by Razor USA and Shane Chen that companies Gotrax, Gyroor and Sisigad are importing products that infringe its patents, the agency said in a press release Feb. 20.
The Commerce Department published notices in the Federal Register Feb. 21 on the following antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CVD rates, scope, affected firms or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department has published the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review on prestressed concrete steel wire strand from Malaysia (A-557-819).