International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from Oct. 5-9 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
Battery-powered electric bikes assembled in China from mostly Taiwanese parts are considered to be a product of Taiwan, CBP said in a Sept. 24 ruling. Yamaha Motor Corp. USA requested a CBP ruling on the country of origin of the electric bikes. Among the parts that are of Chinese origin are the batteries, “saddle seat, clips, fasteners, and brackets,” it said.
Former House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, told reporters that as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative considers whether Vietnam should be punished for currency manipulation (see 2010050036), he should rely on a “bipartisan definition of currency manipulation” described in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (TFTEA). Brady, who was speaking to reporters on a teleconference Oct. 7, noted that TFTEA was one of the first bills he shepherded through the committee when he took the gavel.
Americans for Prosperity is praising a bill introduced by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., which would eliminate most favored nation (MFN) tariffs and Section 301, Section 232 or any other punitive additional duty on 87 tariff lines that cover personal protective equipment. If the bill were to become law, it would eliminate tariffs through the end of 2022. “In a time of crisis, our leaders should be doing everything possible to remove barriers which diminish ease of access to those things that will keep us safe, preserve our livelihoods, and save American lives. With COVID-19 still looming and flu season fast approaching, we applaud Senator Toomey for introducing this measure to correct misguided policies which would impose tariffs on goods so directly linked to the wellbeing of American families and workers during these unprecedented times,” said Brent Gardner, chief government affairs officer at AFP. He urged Congress to take up the bill, which was first introduced just before the August recess.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 4:
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from Sept. 28-Oct. 2 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will issue a “technical correction” for one of the Section 301 tariff exclusions from List 4A, it said in a recently posted notice. The correction changes some language for “Bright C1060 round wire.” It also similarly corrected an extension of the exclusion. The change is effective as of Sept. 1, 2019, USTR said. The agency will also make two changes to List 3 exclusions, it said in another notice. Those changes apply to “Mixtures containing N,Ndimethyldodecan-1-amine (CAS No. 112–18–5) and N,N-dimethyltetradecan1-amine (CAS No. 112–75–4)” and machine parts of “heading 8471, whether or not incorporating fan hubs or LEDs but not incorporating other goods of headings 8541 or 8542.” Those changes apply from Aug. 7 and expire at the end of 2020.
President Donald Trump’s “many tweets” and statements from his administration are strong evidence the White House unlawfully imposed the lists 3 and 4A tariffs to boost the U.S. Treasury and not curb the allegedly bad Chinese trade behavior documented in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s March 2018 Section 301 investigative report. So said the lawyer for two automotive components importers making the case that the tariffs are unconstitutional because only Congress has the power of taxation.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is considering sanctions against Vietnam for importing illegal lumber to use in wood furniture and for currency manipulation that it suspects is hurting U.S. industry. The Section 301 investigations, announced the evening of Oct. 2, invite public comment on the extent of the violations, the scope of its impact on U.S. commerce, and suggestions for how to respond. Comments are due by Nov. 12.
The U.S.-Japan mini-deal is not consistent with World Trade Organization rules, a former White House trade negotiator said, so the two sides mentioned a future phase two deal to cover substantially all trade to convince Japan's parliament to pass the accord. Because of the way the deal was structured, with small tariff reductions for Japanese exporters, it did not require a vote in Congress, Clete Willems, speaking recently on a webinar for University of Nebraska students, said. In calling the mini-deal phase one, “I think both sides were playing it cute, to be honest,” Willems, now at Akin Gump, said. He said Japan was not interested in a comprehensive bilateral trade deal, because it still wants the U.S. to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership.