Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news:

Office of U.S. Trade Representative 

  • The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the United States and Taiwan, under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), have reached consensus on the negotiating mandate for the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade announced on June 1, 2022.  

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) agriculture-detecting beagles play an important role in protecting our nation’s agricultural interests and economy at the Philadelphia International Airport. Last year, CBP agriculture canines detected 120,269 prohibited items at CBP Ports of Entry across the country, and 96,450 items through June this year.
  • On August 17, CBP Louisville seized a shipment of jewelry deemed to be counterfeit by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts. CBP officers in Louisville seized a shipment containing various counterfeit earrings, that if real would have had a MSRP over $3.5 million. 
  • On August 20, CBP announced Air and Marine Operations agents flying near the Blue Water Bridge observed a jet ski with three individuals leave from Canada and cross the international border. The jet ski landed near Port Huron.
    • The two passengers were identified as two male Brazilian nationals, ages 34 and 35 who both admitted to illegally crossing into the U.S. The driver and two non-citizens were transported to the Marysville station for processing.
  • CBP announced on August 17 the Mobile Passport Control program (MPC) will expand on Aug. 30 to include the Montreal and Toronto Preclearance locations. The program will further expand to Vancouver in late September, bringing MPC availability to 38 air and seaport locations.
  • On August 21, CBP announced McAllen Border Patrol Station agents attempted to initiate an immigration inspection of the occupants of a vehicle departing a well-known migrant loading area in Los Ebanos. The driver failed to yield and led agents on a vehicle pursuit. An Air and Marine Operations helicopter, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the La Joya Police Department assisted with the pursuit, until the vehicle drove through a fence in Palmview and came to a stop.

U.S. International Trade Commission.

  • The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) announced a notice given that on August 3, 2022, the presiding administrative law judge (“ALJ”) issued an Initial Determination on violation of section 337. The ALJ also issued a Recommended Determination on remedy and bonding should a violation be found in the above-captioned investigation. The Commission is soliciting submissions on public interest issues raised by the recommended relief should the Commission find a violation.
  • On August 19, 2022, notice was hereby given that the USITC has determined to institute a rescission proceeding and to grant an unopposed petition to rescind the limited exclusion order (“LEO”) and cease and desist orders (“CDOs”) (collectively, “the remedial orders”) issued in the underlying investigation. The rescission proceeding is terminated.
  • On August 19, 2022, on the basis of the record developed in the subject investigation, the USITC determines, pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930, that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports of sodium nitrite from Russia provided for in subheading 2834.10.10 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that have been found by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to be subsidized by the government of Russia. 

U.S Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control

U.S. Department of Commerce 

  • On August 19, 2022, as a result of the determinations by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that revocation of the countervailing duty (CVD) orders on certain cold-rolled steel flat products (cold-rolled steel or CRS) from the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of net countervailable subsidies and material injury to an industry in the United States, Commerce is publishing a notice of continuation of the CVD orders.
  • On August 19, 2022, as a result of the determinations by DOC and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that revocation of the antidumping duty (AD) orders on polyester staple fiber (PSF) from the Republic of Korea and Taiwan would likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, DOC is publishing a notice of continuation of these AD orders.
  • On August 19, 2022, DOC is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on sulfanilic acid from India, covering the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.

If you have questions about these updates, contact our Diaz Trade Law attorneys at info@diaztradelaw.com or call us at 305-456-3830.

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