Dan Stirk, former chief counsel for litigation in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, has joined Picard Kentz as counsel in the international trade practice, the firm announced. Stirk served as an attorney-adviser at USTR for nearly 18 years, covering World Trade Organization and free trade agreement dispute settlement proceedings, compliance proceedings and arbitration, the firm said.
Former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has joined the Council on Foreign Relations as a distinguished fellow, the think tank announced this week. Raimondo will co-chair a new CFR task force on economic security and will also work on issues related to economic policy, U.S. competitiveness and artificial intelligence.
Three Indian cotton suppliers linked to 60 global brands sourced cotton from farms that use forced labor, advocacy group Transparentem said in a report published Jan. 27. The investigation leading to the report found evidence of child labor, debt bondage, withholding of wages, and abusive working conditions at farms in Madhya Pradesh, India.
A Federal Maritime Commission administrative law judge has approved a confidential agreement to settle allegations by Giti Tire USA that San Francisco-based Flexport International charged unfair detention and demurrage fees and millions of dollars in other "accessorial charges" at unreasonable rates, according to an FMC notice released Jan. 24. “The parties have determined that the settlement reasonably resolves the issues raised in the complaint without the need for costly and uncertain litigation,” the judge wrote. Giti filed its complaint against Flexport in May (see 2405200019). Flexport, a non-vessel-operating common carrier, denied Giti’s allegations (see 2405210036).
A lawyer for Shein submitted a letter to the U.K. Parliament denying its U.S.-bound products contain any Chinese cotton. The letter, sent Jan. 20 after several British lawmakers in a hearing earlier this month expressed concern about forced labor in the company's supply chains, said that the company complies with the laws and regulations of the countries in which it sells.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Jan. 27 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 is seeking public input on remedies for its Section 337 investigation on Eli Lilly's drug tirzepatide, after declining to review the administrative law judge's initial determination finding violations, the ITC said in a notice to be published Jan. 28. The ITC initially began the investigation in November 2023 based on allegations that 11 companies were importing the diabetes drug tirzepatide under Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro brand name (see 2311270054). The ALJ's initial determination granted the complainant's motion regarding trademark infringement, false designation of origin and false advertising and recommended a general exclusion order should the ITC find a violation. The ITC is requesting written submissions by close of business on Feb. 5.
The Commerce Department published notices in the Federal Register Jan. 27 on the following antidumping and countervailing (AD/CV) duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department finalized its determination that imports of aluminum wire and cable, finished in South Korea and Vietnam using inputs from China, are circumventing AD/CVD orders on aluminum wire and cable from China (A-570-095/C-570-096), it said in notices published in the Jan. 27 Federal Register.
The Commerce Department issued its final determinations in its countervailing duty investigations on paper plates from China (C-570-165) and Vietnam (C-552-840). Suspension of liquidation is currently not in effect for entries on or after Oct. 29, 2024, and Commerce will require cash deposits of estimated CVD on future entries only if it issues a CVD order.