United States and Taiwan Sign Agreement on Trade & Investment
On January 15, 2026, the United States and Taiwan agreed to a trade deal to establish “a strategic economic partnership … to decisively strengthen U.S. domestic semiconductor supply chains and secure America’s technological and industrial leadership.” While the text and full terms of the trade deal were not released, the Department of Commerce released a
OFAC Again Extends Russia General License 13 Authorizing Transactions Ordinarily Incident and Necessary for Operations in Russia
On January 6, 2026, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) again extended Russia-related General License (GL) 13 by issuing a revised GL 13P, “Authorizing Certain Administrative Transactions Prohibited by Directive 4 under Executive Order 14024,” which states that U.S. persons are authorized to pay taxes, fees, or import duties
CBP to Issue All Refunds Electronically Starting February 6, 2026
On January 2, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, published an interim final rule announcing it will move to an all-electronic refund system beginning February 6, 2026. As a result, the agency will no longer issue paper checks for refunds—including tariff refunds—absent a waiver approved
Importers of Record Flood CIT with IEEPA Tariff Refund Complaints
Hundreds of new cases have been filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade (“CIT”) since the November 5, 2025 oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court (“SCOTUS”) in the appeal challenging the legality of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) as the statutory authority to impose tariffs and seeking to preserve.
President Trump Delays Section 232 Tariff Increase on Wood Furniture, Cabinets and Vanities
On December 31, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation announcing that he was delaying an increase in the duty rates for imports of upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities. Referencing “productive negotiations of agreements with multiple countries to address the threatened impairment of the national security with respect to imports of wood products,” President
USTR Issues Affirmative Determination in China Semiconductor Section 301 Investigation
On December 23, 2025, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) determined that China’s acts, policies, and practices related to targeting of the semiconductor industry for dominance are actionable under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. Accordingly, the USTR will take tariff action on U.S. imports of semiconductors from China, with an initial tariff
United States Retroactively Implements Reduced Tariff Rates for Imports from Switzerland
On December 18, 2025, the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) issued a notice that the United States was implementing certain tariff-related elements of the Framework for a United States-Switzerland-Liechtenstein Agreement on Fair, Balanced, and Reciprocal Trade. The framework for this agreement was announced in mid-November 2025 and covered various areas of negotiations addressing
USTR Announces Section 301 Tariffs on Nicaragua
On December 10, 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice announcing actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to address Nicaragua’s acts, policies, and practices related to abuses of labor rights, abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the dismantling of the rule
USTR Provides Details on Tariff Modifications Under U.S.-Korea Trade Deal
On November 14, 2025, the White House released a Fact Sheet providing details on The Korea Strategic Trade and Investment deal first announced in July 2025. See Thompson Hine Update of November 17, 2025, for additional details. On December 3, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a formal notice implementing
USTR Extends Remaining China Section 301 Product Exclusions
On November 26, 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice announcing the extension of exclusions in the Section 301 Investigation of China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation. The 178 exclusions were previously scheduled to expire on November 29, 2025, but have