Best Practices Archives - Page 18 of 44 - Customs & International Trade Law Firm

Strengthening the Public Health Industrial Base Comment Opportunity Due December 23, 2020

Weaknesses in the Public Health Industrial Base

Critical technology shortages have been a focus of President Trump’s trade and industrial policies. In an October 2020 report on the topic, the Trump administration identified medical and public health technologies as a key sector in which the U.S. needs to do more to protect and cultivate its technological advantage. According to some analysts, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the United States’ public health industrial base is overly reliant on imports for critical medical and pharmaceutical needs. The first few months of the pandemic were characterized by significant shortages of key medical supplies such as ventilators and personal protective equipment. However, this overreliance pre-dated the pandemic. For example, in October 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) estimated that the United States accounts for only 28 percent of global active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) manufacturing facilities and that 80 percent of APIs consumed in the United States are produced abroad, the majority in China and India.

[…]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T14:45:59-04:00December 10, 2020|Best Practices, China, Customs Expert, Enforcement, Expert, Export, Import, International Law, International Trade, Pre-compliance, U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)|0 Comments

Joe Biden & Trade – What Can Industry Expect from the New Administration?

Co-Authored by Sharath Patil

Trump’s Trade Legacy

To fully understand the Biden administration’s trade priorities, it’s essential to understand Trump’s U.S. trade actions and the trade environment Biden will inherit. Trump made trade policy a center-stage issue. The administration enacted policies that counter several decades of neoliberal trade policies. The administration also questioned fundamental tenets of the global trading system and the function and purpose of the World Trade Organization. Furthermore, Trump followed through on many trade-related campaign promises by utilizing an array of tools.

[…]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T14:44:59-04:00December 7, 2020|Best Practices, China, China Trade War, Customs Expert, Enforcement, Export, Import, International Law, International Trade, TPP|5 Comments

USTR Targets Vietnam in New 301 Investigations – Submit Request to Testify by Dec. 10

Co-Authored by Sharath Patil

USTR’s Tougher Stance on Vietnam

The Trump administration has begun to exercise a tougher stance against Vietnam. The United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) initiated two Section 301 investigations against the Southeast Asian country on October 2, 2020. The focus of the two investigations are Vietnam’s acts, policies, and practices related to (1) the valuation of its currency, and (2) Vietnam’s importation and use of illegal timber. The news of USTR’s launch of these dual investigations came days before the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest trade data release – which indicated that the U.S. trade deficit in goods with Vietnam is at record levels, registering at $42.7 billion in the 8 months of data available for 2020. This skyrocketing trade deficit is relevant to U.S. trade policy towards Vietnam because one of President Trump’s key economic pledges was to lower the U.S. trade deficit with trading partners. A well-documented pattern of transshipment of goods from China through Vietnam to avoid U.S. Section 301 duties towards China could also explain Vietnam being targeted.

[…]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-06T12:30:07-04:00December 1, 2020|Best Practices, Customs Expert, Enforcement, Expert, Export, Import, International Law, International Trade, Pre-compliance, Vietnam|1 Comment

White House Releases National Strategy for Promoting and Protecting Critical Technologies

Co-Authored by Sharath Patil

White House Releases Critical Technologies Report

Last month, the White House released a landmark report titled the “National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies.” The report outlines how the United States will promote and protect our competitive edge in fields such as artificial intelligence, energy, quantum information science, communication and networking technologies, semiconductors, military, and space technologies.

[…]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T14:43:59-04:00December 1, 2020|Best Practices, China, China Trade War, Customs Expert, Enforcement, Export, Import, International Business, International Law, International Trade, Pre-compliance|2 Comments

Due to Pandemic, BIS Providing Six-Month Export License Extensions

Co-Authored by Sharath Patil

BIS’ Announcement

Last month, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry & Security (“BIS”) announced that it is providing six-month extensions for export license applications due to economic difficulties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of this announcement, BIS is permitting exporters to request six-month validity period extensions for licenses due to expire on or before December 31, 2020. BIS accepts all submission requests in one central electronic mailbox: LicenseExtensionRequest@bis.doc.gov. When a party submits a license extension request, BIS will review the original license and (in most cases), extend the validity of the license by six months. BIS estimates that the majority of extension validity requests will be processed and approved within two to three business days. Acting Under Secretary for Industry and Security Corden Hull said, “The streamlined process will help ensure that exporters with licenses due to expire on or before the end of 2020, who may not have been able to ship orders due to resource constraints during the pandemic, have the opportunity to benefit fully from the authorizations granted on their licenses.”

[…]

By Jennifer Diaz|2020-11-25T15:32:54-05:00November 24, 2020|Best Practices, Customs Expert, Enforcement, Export, Import, International Law, International Trade, Pre-compliance|8 Comments

Previous 171819 Next