The U.S. requested a panel under the rapid response mechanism in the USMCA for the third time to investigate a Canadian mining facility located in Mexico. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said that the U.S. and Mexico were unable to come to an agreement and so "the United States therefore has determined that it is appropriate to request a panel to verify the facility’s compliance with Mexican labor laws."
Tariffs promised by President-elect Donald Trump would result in increased prices for U.S. consumers, experts warned in an analysis of current trade flows and tariff rates.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
A listing of recent Commerce Department antidumping and countervailing duty messages posted on CBP's website Dec. 11, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at CBP's ADCVD Search page.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) De Minimis Working Group developed a set of recommendations to CBP to provide further details on how the agency expects to enforce the $800 limit in ACE, including clarity on how CBP plans to calculate a shipment's date of arrival.
CBP has launched a de minimis coordination cell that "will provide a consistent and predictable approach to addressing de minimis shipments in all modes at all ports of entry," acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller said at the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee's quarterly meeting on Dec. 11.
CBP expects to deploy on Jan. 11 the second release of Section 321 – Does Not Exceed $800 in Aggregated Shipments enhancement in ACE, according to a cargo systems message. It has been available for testing in the ACE Certification environment since Dec. 11, CBP said.
Congress will pass a spending bill before leaving next week, and while everyone wants to attach their legislation to it, the prospect for Haitian trade preferences to get a ride seems relatively strong.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Dec. 11 Federal Register on the following 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 Dec. 20 on a Section 337 complaint alleging that imports of urinary splash guards infringe patents held by For Kids By Parents Inc., it said in a notice to be published Dec. 12. According to the complaint, For Kids By Parents is seeking a permanent general exclusion order and cease and desist orders against 10 Chinese companies to bar "from entry into the United States all urine splash guards and components thereof that infringe" the complainant's patents. The P-flector product is used to protect a person's clothing and the floor from splash back around bathroom toilets.