US and EU Agree to Reduce Tariffs on Certain Products and the EU Asks the US to Withdraw Tariffs in Connection with the Large Civil Aircraft Dispute. On August 21, 2020, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Joint Statement with the European Union Trade Commission to announce the first tariff reductions between the US and EU in over 20 years. The tariff reductions will be retroactive to August 1, 2020.  The US will reduce tariff rates by...

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On August 12, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) issued the modified list (Annex 2, section 2) of European Union (“E.U.”) goods subject to Sec. 301 retaliatory tariffs in connection with the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) case against E.U. large aircraft subsidies. While approximately 24,000 comments were filed in response to the USTR’s request for comment regarding changes to the list, only minor changes were implemented. The USTR removed certain products from Greece and the United Kingdom and added an...

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On July 10, 2020, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) announced an additional 25% Section 301 duties on various handbag and cosmetic products from France effective January 6, 2021. These retaliatory duties will be imposed in response to France’s planned Digital Services Tax (“DST”), which the USTR determined is discriminatory and unreasonably burdens U.S. technology companies. Implementation of the additional duties will be delayed for 180 days to allow for further negotiations between the two countries that may resolve this...

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The Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) is considering a modification to the list of products from the European Union (“EU”) and United Kingdom (“UK”) subject to Section 301 tariffs and an increase of the additional duties up to 100%. The tariffs were initially imposed on October 18, 2019 in response to a World Trade Organization (“WTO”) ruling that the U.S. may levy up to $7.5 billion annually in countermeasures for EU subsidies provided to aircraft manufacturer...

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On June 26, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced that it is considering modifying the list of European Union products subject to additional tariffs upon importation into the United States and increasing the tariff rate up to 100 percent. The USTR is accepting comments whether specific products should be either added to or deleted from the lists and whether the rate on specific products should be increased. Comments are due by July 26, 2020. The current rate...

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Between June 26- July 26, 2020, the US Special Trade Representative is accepting comments regarding the imposition of Sec. 301 tariffs on certain EU products. The products are segregated into 3 categories: Products currently subject to the Sec. 301 tariffs (at 10% and 25%); Products that were previously considered for inclusion but not previously  subject to the Sec. 301 tariffs; New products. Consider submitting comments if any product is potentially exposed to 301 duties under this new initiative. Federal Register Notice...

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Importers and exporters of goods produced in North America are reminded that the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) takes effect on July 1, 2020.  On that date, the eligibility rules and procedures under the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) will cease to apply and will be replaced by those provided for under the USMCA. The rules for originating status have remained the same for most commodities.  However, there are significant changes that have been made with respect to certain commodities, most notably...

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