Special 301

Last week, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it will extend 352 reinstated exclusions and 77 COVID-related exclusions on goods from China until December 31, 2023. The exclusions refer to additional duties imposed on goods from China pursuant to an earlier Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. 

In December 2022, the agency determined to extend the exclusions and extended them again in May 2023 through September 30, 2023. This latest notice announces the agency’s determination to further extend the exclusions until December 31, 2023.

The announcement states that the goal of this most recent extension is “[t]o provide a transition period for the expiring exclusions and to allow for further consideration under the four-year review.” 

Exclusion Background

In August 2017, USTR initiated an investigation into China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. The agency released a report of its findings in March 2018 and in June 2018 began imposing additional duties on products of China in four tranches. The USTR established a process by which U.S. stakeholders could request the exclusion of particular products subject to additional duties. Starting in November 2019, the agency invited public comments on whether to extend particular expulsions it had granted. Through this process, 352 exclusions […]