Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, introduced a bill to publish the findings of Section 232 investigations within 270 days, or when the report is sent to the president, whichever is sooner. The report would be posted to the Federal Register, though business confidential information would continue to be kept confidential.
CBP is putting interim measures on several importers for evading antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders on seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line and pressure pipe from China by transshipping the pipes through Thailand, according to a notice of Enforce and Protect Act investigation.
Following "in-depth discussions" on tariffs last week between Chinese and U.S. officials, China appeared to indicate that some increase in its tariff rate would not trigger a trade war between the countries.
Every Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee told U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that while they want changes to USMCA as part of the six-year review of the pact, he should make clear that the U.S. plans to keep the trilateral free trade agreement, and that he is committed to "a durable, mutually beneficial relationship with our partners that ensures the gains from trade are shared broadly both within and across our North American markets."
The Commerce Department is setting procedures for manufacturers claiming tariff offsets for medium- and heavy-duty truck (MHDV) parts, though the offsets won’t currently apply to buses or to auto and truck engines, the agency said in a notice published May 15.
The chief executive and chairman of the American Iron and Steel Institute said that trade policy changes have already undermined Mexico's steel producers, but that it's critical that USMCA be rewritten so that only steel melted and poured in Mexico, Canada or the U.S. be considered originating.
CBP on May 7 created Harmonized System Update 2610, containing four Automated Broker Interface records and two Harmonized Tariff Schedule records. It includes updates regarding Section 232 tariffs on USMCA-qualifying Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (MHDVs).
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Goettman said he doesn't know if his agency will be able to release conclusions from Section 301 investigations on which countries' actions or inactions have burdened U.S. commerce by the end of June, but he said that once the conclusions are released, there will be an opportunity for stakeholders to comment on those conclusions.
President Donald Trump said that he will give the EU until July 4 to pass a law to eliminate EU tariffs on industrial goods. Trump made the announcement May 7 on social media.
More than 20 companies and associations, and the steelworkers union, representing a wide swath of aluminum and steel value chains, told the Interagency Section 301 Committee that Section 232 tariffs over the last eight years -- which increased to 50% and 25% from 25% and 10% last year -- have not been enough to restore health to their businesses. So, they argued, higher tariffs, or tariffs on more downstream goods, are needed to level the playing field.