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Member News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Jaguar Freight | The Weekly Roar: New Rules

In this week’s Roar: U.S. container imports rebound, new rules for electronic export manifest filings, U.S. diesel prices up again, using AI competitively, and a new deal on greenhouse gas emissions. U.S. container imports reboundedin January to 2.32 million TEUs after the slowdown in December. Port performance was mostly positive, with notable gains in the Houston and Gulf Coast gateways. Imports from China recovered 9.3% month over month but remained well below previous highs, while Southeast Asia continued to grow...

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Thompson Hine | Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B Lottery

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2027 H‑1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 4 and run through noon Eastern on March 19, 2026. REGISTRATION PROCESS AND FEE If an employer wants to apply for an H-1B visa for a foreign worker, there are a few steps to follow. First, employers and their attorneys need to create accounts on myUSCIS.gov to participate in this process. Then the employer must register electronically...

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RSM | Redefining the American Middle Market for the Modern Era

Key Takeaways Today’s middle market has 125,000 businesses, each with revenue of $30 million to $10 billion. This cohort represents a critical, upscale and profitable element of the $30 trillion U.S. economy. As the middle market has matured, its operational complexity has increased significantly. The transformation of the American middle market over the past 20 years is nothing short of remarkable. What was once a market of 200,000 businesses, each with revenue of $10 million to $1 billion, has consolidated into...

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Member News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Greenberg Traurig | FCC Bans Import of Foreign Drones and Critical Components

On Dec. 22, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expanded its Covered List, effectively implementing a sweeping ban on the import of new models of drones and critical components produced outside of the United States. The action has a broad scope and applies to all foreign drones and critical components, regardless of country of origin and who seeks to procure them. The FCC subsequently provided clarification on Jan. 7 and 21 regarding the scope of its December decision. Background The FCC...

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Wilson Sonsini | Reforms to UK Data Protection and Privacy Laws Come into Force

On February 5, 2026, key reforms to the UK’s data protection regime came into force, effectuating a departure from certain aspects of the EU regime and underscoring an emerging divergence between the UK and EU frameworks. These changes introduce new flexibility in areas such as cookie consent, automated decision-making (ADM) and processing of data for scientific research purposes, while raising the bar for compliance in areas such as the handling of data relating to minors. Key Reforms As discussed in our...

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Member News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Troutman Pepper Locke | US Launches Critical Minerals Strategy and New ‘Reciprocal Trade’ Deals

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) recently announced three major trade and economic initiatives that the administration describes as part of a broader strategy to address large and persistent U.S. trade deficits, concerns about reciprocity in bilateral trade relationships, and other unfair trade practices, while deepening economic and national security cooperation and reinforcing Western Hemisphere supply chains. On January 29, a U.S.-El Salvador Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade was announced, which includes commitments to improve market access, regulatory...

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Member News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Thompson Hine | President Trump Imposes Additional Tariff on Countries That Sell Oil to Cuba

On January 29, 2026, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14380 to impose an additional ad valorem duty on goods from countries that directly or indirectly sell or otherwise provide oil—that is, crude oil or petroleum products—to Cuba.  Although the executive order, which took effect on January 30, 2026, appears broad in scope, it clarifies that the Secretary of Commerce will determine which countries directly or indirectly sell or otherwise provide oil to Cuba and convey that information to the Secretary of State,...

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Member News, News, Uncategorized

AlixPartners | Five Scenarios that Change the 2026 Retail Game

Uncertainty is baked into the 2026 outlook for retail, which remains one of the most disrupted industries. For all the predictions over how the industry will change, a state of permacrisis makes it challenging to act decisively—no one knows where tariff policy or geopolitical conflict will land months from now—but retailers cannot wait for the next shoe to drop. Many pundits and prognosticators make bold and often binary predictions for the retail market ahead.   Our point of view is that...

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PwC | Energy Credits Still Offer Valuable Opportunities for Exempt Organizations

What happened? Congress preserved the pathways for exempt organizations (EOs) to access and monetize clean energy tax credits across a broad set of technologies and structures. Changes made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) place greater emphasis on eligibility and documentation diligence requirements, including restrictions related to prohibited foreign entities (PFEs), without disrupting the direct pay (elective payment) option that allows EOs to treat applicable credits as refundable overpayments when properly elected on timely filed returns. Why is it important? EOs remain eligible to fully participate in clean energy...

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Arendt | DNA of Europe’s digital future: EU Commission unveils landmark networks regulation

On 21 January 2026, the proposal for the Digital Networks Act (DNA) was adopted. It aims to create a harmonised regulation, reducing fragmentation in the EU’s national markets and thus laying the groundwork for a stronger digital infrastructure that fosters innovation and competition.   At a time when the EU’s competitiveness in the communication and technology sectors is being questioned due to heavy regulation, the EU Commission’s recent proposal for a regulation on digital networks (Digital Networks Act or DNA) aims...

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