The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of vanillin from China that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of China. The USITC also determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of large top-mount combination refrigerator-freezers from Thailand that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value.
While not directly naming China, G7 trade ministers pledged Thursday to use their trade tools when needed to counter trade-distorting trade practices. “We will continue to tackle non-market policies and practices, as well as harmful non-market excess capacity and other market distortions resulting from them,” G7 trade ministers said in a joint statement wrapping up their two-day meeting in Italy. The ministers' statement emphasized a commitment to the role of, and reform of the World Trade Organization, as well as placed a particular emphasis on Export Control & Investment Screening
Alabama man Ray Hunt , pleaded guilty to conspiracy to export U.S.-origin goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran in violation of trade sanctions. Hunt, a naturalized US Citizen also known as Abdolrahman Hantoosh, is alleged to have conspired to export U.S.-origin parts used in the oil and gas industry, including control valves and oil tubing, through his Alabama-based company, Vega Tools LLC, to customers in Iran. The scheme transshipped the goods to Iran through Turkey and the UAE to evade U.S. sanctions.
The GC chair has issued a report on what transpired at the one-day retreat he convened last week primarily to discuss the decision-making processes at the WTO. In his report, the chair says that he “detected a collective desire to enhance decision-making. processes in Geneva, build and restore trust, uphold consensus decision making in a manner that delivers results and ensure the WTO remains fit for purpose.” The report makes several suggestions, including on the “consensus: understanding and implementation”, “transparency” and “improving the consensus mechanisms”. The report says “the concept of consensus was discussed extensively, with a focus on distinguishing it from unanimity” and “consensus should not be (mis)used as a tool for vetoing but rather as a means to build convergence and foster genuine agreement.”
Several major industrialized countries, including the European Union, seem to be preparing the ground to support the request from the coordinator of the African Group to speed up the reelection process for incumbent World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala out of concern that former President Trump could return to the White House next year. Mr. Trump’s administration opposed Ms. Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy and overall took a dim view of the value of the WTO. Several trade envoys alleged that the DG has played a role in exerting pressure on Chad and a few other countries to go ahead with their communication while being aware that it has no consensus within the African group.
The Commerce Department published a Final Rule redesignating regulations governing the review of certain transactions involving information and communications technology and services (ICTS) …
A Russian national based in Hong Kong pleaded guilty to money laundering and smuggling charges for illicitly procuring dual-use, military-grade microelectronics for export to Russia, Members of the conspiracy procured these sensitive microelectronics by falsely representing to the U.S. distributors (who, in turn, are required to report to U.S. agencies) that the Hong Kong shell entity was sending the shipments to end users located in China, Hong Kong, and other countries outside of Russia for use in electron microscopes for medical research. In reality, the OLED micro-displays were destined for end users in Russia.
Stating "We will be a nation of Truth, Justice, and Common Sense," the Republican party platform adopted by the Milwaukee Convention goes beyond calls to "deport the millions of illegal Migrants who Joe Biden has deliberately encouraged to invade our Country," and "DRILL, BABY, DRILL," with specific policy recommendations for industry and trade.
The United States may need to find “more creative approaches” to addressing China’s overcapacity, since the tradition tariff tool kit may not be enough, Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs Jay Shambaugh said last week,. Dealing with the economic fallout of Chinese overcapacity “may warrant our taking defensive action to protect our firms and workers – and the traditional toolkit of trade actions may not be sufficient,” he said in remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Emerging Technology Technical Advisory Committee (ETTAC) will meet on July 30, 2024. Open Session: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. The open session will be accessible via teleconference. To join the conference, submit inquiries to Ms. Yvette Springer at Yvette.Springer@bis.doc.gov .
The State Department issued a Statement of Concern Tuesday focused on certain minerals supply chains from Rwanda and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The statement clarifies the specific risks associated with manufacturing products using minerals extracted, transported or exported from eastern DRC, through Rwanda and Uganda, according to State.
Every Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee joined together yesterday to demand action from the Administration on Canada’s decision to impose a discriminatory digital services tax on US businesses, In a letter to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, the Republicans urged the Administration to launch a Section 301 investigation as a response to Canada’s action.
Trade envoys participating in a one-day retreat on Monday expressed mixed views on issues of transparency, inclusion and small green room meetings, while unable to reach any convergence on the core issue of finding innovative approaches to replace the consensus-based decision-making at the World Trade Organization, said people familiar with the developments. During the retreat, trade envoys apparently held frank discussions on a raft of issues based on the questions circulated by the chair of the WTO’s General Council, Ambassador Petter Olberg of Norway.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response announced Tuesday that they are conducting a comprehensive assessment of the US Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient industrial base to gain an understanding of the supply chain network. The resulting information will allow the federal government to more accurately plan and develop funding strategies to help ensure the availability and security of the API supply chain and to raise awareness of current limited domestic manufacturing capabilities, among other potential issues, according to BIS.
The chair of the World Trade Organization’s Doha rules negotiating body has issued a draft text on addressing fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing. The genesis of this latest text appears to be the result of bilateral and small group meetings with the chair and select members said people familiar with the discussions. The seven-page draft text issued on Wednesday is based on a two-tier, hybrid approach of sustainability criteria. It highlights the proposal from the United States on forced labor in fishing activities. Our correspondent notes the chair provided a major carve-out to the two big subsidizers- the European Union and China- to continue their distant water fishing. As deals are being struck, it is expected that China will accept Article B.5, opts out from S&DT in exchange for the United States dropping the forced labour provision, said people familiar with the negotiations.
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is releasing the second video in its “OFAC Basics” video series, "My Funds Are Blocked, Now What?" This video provides viewers with guidance on what it means when funds are blocked in connection with OFAC sanctions, as well as recommended steps for what to do if your funds have been blocked.
Two men pleaded guilty July 9 to conspiracy to commit export control violations for their roles in a global procurement scheme on behalf of sanctioned Russian companies, including Russian military companies. Some of the electronic components shipped by the defendants were later found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine. Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, 53, a Brooklyn resident and dual citizen of Russia and Tajikistan, was arrested on Oct. 31 in Brooklyn. Nikolay Goltsev, 38, of Montreal and an associate who pleaded guilty in February were arrested at a hotel in Manhattan on Oct. 31 during a trip to New York to visit Nasriddinov.
The Commerce Department is updating its trade remedy regulations regarding the administration of the antidumping and countervailing duty laws, formalizing the tariff treatment of non-market economies. The proposed rewrite covers 28 sections of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended. Areas impacted include the collection of cash deposits, the application of antidumping rates in non-market economy proceedings, calculation of an all- others’ rate, selection of examined respondents, and attribution of subsidies received by cross- owned input producers and utility providers to producers of subject merchandise.
Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published guidance outlining the different actions that BIS takes to inform industry and academia about parties – beyond those identified on public screening lists like the Entity List – that present risks of diversion of items subject to BIS export controls to countries or entities of concern. Thew guidance also contains a new recommended best practice asking that exporters, reexporters, and transferors of Common High Priority List (CHPL) items screen transaction parties using online resources made newly available by the Trade Integrity Project (TIP).
The United States and Mexico are taking new steps to prevent China and other countries from working their way into Mexico’s supply chains to avoid paying Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum by implementing a new rules of origin. Under the new rules for steel, imports from Mexico will be subject to the 25 percent Section 232 tariff unless it has been melted and poured in either Mexico, Canada or the United States. A similar “smelt and cast” requirement is being put in place for aluminum from Mexico. Specifically, the imports must not have been smelt or cast in China, Russia, Belarus or Iran if they are to be exempt from the 10 percent Section 232 tariff.
