The Office of the United States Trade Representative has released President Donald Trump’s 2025 Trade Policy Agenda, outlining a strategy to revitalize American manufacturing and reinforce national security through assertive trade measures. The agenda emphasizes the necessity of a “Production Economy,” asserting that “Americans are more than just what they consume,” and that the nation should not merely “move money around.” It advocates for policies that “favor a Production Economy” to “Make America Great Again.” While criticizing the World Trade Organization, it's worth noting that the document does not call for the US to abandon the institution.
On their last day of work under Ambassador Katherine Tai, US Trade Representative staff announced a new Forced Labor strategy, model negotiating texts and a successful resolution of a USMCA dispute with a Mexican architectural glass factory. As the supporting documents for the Forced Labor Strategy have been purged, we can expect a revision in the policy under the new regime.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced Tuesday that it is opening a process for interested persons to request that certain machinery be temporarily excluded from Section 301 duties in the Investigation of China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation. Consistent with the President’s direction, the exclusion process covers particular machinery used in domestic manufacturing classified within a subheading under chapters 84 and 85 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
The Administration plans to release new policy ideas on how to respond to non-market economy policies and practices, Assistant US Trade Representative Sushan Demirjian told members of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity yesterday. “USTR is considering how non-market policies and practices, including non-market excess capacity, threaten the integrity of our supply chains,” she told the gathering.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today announced that Katy Mastman will serve as Assistant United States Trade Representative (AUSTR) for Labor Affairs. Earlier this …
The Administration is making US workers a top priority in ongoing trade talks through the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity and with Kenya and Taiwan, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said Thursday. “Through all of this, we have made it clear to our trading partners that workers are at the heart of what we do. And it turns out that we all want to build our middle classes,” she told a meeting of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
The NTE Report sets out an inventory of significant foreign barriers to, or distortions of, U.S. exports of goods and services, including agricultural commodities and U.S. intellectual property; foreign direct investment by U.S. persons, especially if such investment has implications for trade in goods or services; and U.S. electronic commerce. USTR invites comments to assist it and the TPSC in identifying significant foreign barriers to, or distortions of, U.S. exports of goods and services, U.S. foreign direct investment, and U.S. electronic commerce for inclusion in the NTE Report.
Evidently the "strong concerns with Canada’s unilateral digital service tax" the USTR cited in the readout of last weeks meeting between Ambassador Katherine Tai and Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade, and Economic Development, Mary Ng. Involved a preview of a USMCA dispute settlement complaint. Friday Tai announced that the United States has requested dispute settlement consultations with Canada under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) regarding Canada’s recently enacted digital service tax (DST).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are accepting applications for new members to serve on agricultural trade advisory committees. Members of …
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a Federal Register notice for the enhanced Section 301 tariffs announced by the Biden administration last week. The notice includes annexes listing the 382 HTSUS subheadings and 5 statistical reporting numbers of the HTSUS, with an approximate annual trade value of $18 billion. Included are Exclusions and a process for requesting exclusions.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released its 2024 Special 301 Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of U.S. trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights. “Many of the issues highlighted in the Special 301 Report demand collaborative efforts from our allies and partners,” said Ambassador Katherine Tai.
The USTR has requested a Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM) panel under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to resolve a labor dispute at call center operator Atento Servicios, S.A. de C.V. . At the conclusion of its 45-day review period, Mexico found a denial of rights had existed, but determined that Atento Servicios had taken the necessary actions to remediate the denial of rights during Mexico’s review period. The United States disagrees with this determination and is requesting establishment of an RRM panel to review the situation.
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai addressed the annual meeting of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), the umbrella group representing textiles "from fibers to finished products, machinery manufacturers to power suppliers." Tai highlighted workstreams on the CAFTA-DR Textiles and Apparel Supply Chain Directory and a joint project with Customs and Border Patrol as examples of industry specific assistance.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers are calling on US Trade Representative Katherine Tai to press for renewal of the long-standing Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions transactions at the World Trade Organization’s upcoming 13th ministerial conference. The moratorium covers electronic transmissions of both digital goods like e-books, music, movies and video games and digital services (like software, emails and text messages).
The Office of the United States Trade Representative today announced that Heather Hurlburt will step down as chief of staff on January 26, 2024. Jamila Thompson, a current senior advisor to the U.S. Trade Representative, will serve as acting chief of staff following Hurlburt’s departure.
The 14th Ministerial-level meeting of the India-United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF) took place on January 12, 2024, in New Delhi, India. Chaired by India's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, and U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral trade ties and enhancing economic relations. The Ministers recognized the TPF's role in boosting India-U.S. trade, which likely surpassed $200 billion in 2023, despite global trade challenges. Acknowledging the untapped potential, they expressed a mutual desire to diversify and increase bilateral trade. Significant progress was noted since the 13th TPF, particularly in settling seven long-standing trade disputes at the WTO. These resolutions followed high-level visits between the two countries, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the U.S. and U.S. President Biden to India.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative has released the Fifteenth Biennial Report on the Operation of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA). On a biennial basis, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is required to submit a report to Congress regarding the results of the general review of CBI beneficiary countries and their performance under the CBI eligibility criteria.
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced Nov. 2 that Cara Morrow is taking on the position of senior advisor, overseeing close coordination with the Office of Western Hemisphere, the Office of Europe and the Middle East, the Office of Labor Affairs and the Office of Environment and Natural Resources.
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai will be in Osaka over the weekend for the G7 Trade Ministers’ meeting. G7 trade ministers will gather on October 28 to 29. During this meeting, Ambassador Tai will participate in ministerial sessions on how G7 members can work together to address sustainability and resilience in the global trading system.
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced Monday that the United States has asked Mexico to review whether workers at the Asiaway Automotive Components Mexico facility in San Luis Potosiare being denied the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Asiaway Automotive Components Mexico performs die casting and machining of aluminum parts for "Tier One" suppliers such as Magna, Cummins, and Robert Bosch, as well as General Motors and BMW. The plant opened in June of 2023 and employs 300 workers. Parent company Ningbo Asiaway Automotive Components Co.,Ltd is a privately held company based in Ningbo, an industrial hub near Shanghai.
