Welcome to the June 2024 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and...more
6/18/2024
/ Anti-Dumping Duty ,
Automotive Industry ,
CFIUS ,
Countervailing Duties ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
De Minimis Claims ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Enforcement ,
Forced Labor ,
Globally Harmonized System ,
Supply Chain ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
USTR ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)
Trade tensions between Washington and US trading partners, notably China, have complicated many supply chain decisions — what to buy, from where, made by whom, and at what tariff cost.
Recent statements from senior Biden...more
3/19/2024
/ Automotive Industry ,
Biden Administration ,
China ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Geopolitical Risks ,
Imports ,
Manufacturers ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trucking Industry ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
US Trade Policies
The Electric Mobility industry is on track for another exciting year. However, current and forthcoming US agency regulations continue to inject confusion and costs in critical supply decisions, for which legal tools can...more
1/11/2024
/ Automotive Industry ,
China ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Duties ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Free Trade Agreements ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
International Energy Agency (IEA) ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
US Trade Policies
On July 1, 2020, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was implemented. A clear and significant negotiation objective was to position the North American vehicle and parts industries with a competitive advantage in...more
This law requires many companies that do business in Canada to provide public annual reports on their efforts to eliminate the use of forced labor in their supply chains. Our summary of Canada’s legislation, including the...more
In 2020, leaders of Canada, the United States, and Mexico signed the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) which, for the first time in a US free trade agreement, includes a ban on imports of products produced using...more
On March 24, President Joe Biden met with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, bringing a message of economic integration and shared commitments.
The President’s remarks to the Canadian Parliament made that clear that...more
Application of US trade laws rely on the proper classification of the imported product. It triggers tariff preference benefits when properly applied, and enforcement scrutiny when not....more
In 2022, rare bipartisan cooperation succeeded in passing much of what Washington had in mind for the electric mobility industry, including billions of dollars in new spending now enshrined in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act...more
Since 2018, the Section 301 “China” tariffs of between 7.5% and 25% have been levied against critical components of the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain sourced from China.
In May 2022, the US Trade Representative (USTR)...more
If a picture is worth a thousand words, the “photo-op” of the president test driving Ford’s new electric F-150 in May of 2021 was the burning image that foretold the US policy direction for the electric mobility...more
1/26/2023
/ Automotive Industry ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Enforcement ,
Imports ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ,
Manufacturers ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Enacted in August of 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was heralded by many as a landmark climate legislation in the United States. While the IRA’s tax credits for electric vehicles (EV) were among its most anticipated...more
In July 2020, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) marked a turning point for North American cross-border trade, creating new rules and opportunities. This has been especially true for participants in the electric vehicle...more
1/26/2023
/ Audits ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Dispute Resolution ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Enforcement ,
Global Market ,
Importers ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Investigations ,
NAFTA ,
Supply Chain ,
Trade Agreements ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Companies in Canada and the United States are moving forward to advance electric mobility and its promises for a cleaner economy. Birgit Matthiesen speaks with Daniel Breton, President and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada.
...more
The components and products that are used in the assembly of EVs are critical to the deployment and functionality of EVs and their global supply chain. In particular, the proper Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States...more
In light of the impact of high tariffs on EV inputs under Section 301 and Section 232 measures and the uncertainty of future trade actions, qualification under the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement is more important than...more
Rare-earth magnets (i.e., neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets), widely considered the most efficient way to power EVs, are the latest commodity to be potentially subject to Section 232 tariffs, which have previously been...more
Throughout 2021, the administration and Congress have made clear the support for US domestic manufacturing of the electric mobility supply chain. Their goal is to both boost economic growth and reduce US carbon emissions....more
1/13/2022
/ Automotive Industry ,
Biden Administration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ,
Manufacturers ,
NHTSA ,
Supply Chain ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
US Trade Policies
Through Section 301, "China Tariffs," the United States Trade Representative (USTR) imposes additional ad valorem tariffs rates between 7.5% and 25% on the majority of Chinese-origin products, including lithium-ion batteries,...more
Around the globe, automakers, parts suppliers, and related industries are making long-term investments in electric vehicles (EV), EV batteries, charging stations, and associated technologies. To remain competitive in this...more
Rising tensions between Washington and Beijing have had significant impacts on international trade in the form of US 301 Tariffs on a wide range of imports. In this episode, Birgit Matthiesen and Leah Scarpelli highlight what...more
In this installment of the Five Questions, Five Answers podcast, Director of North American Manufacturing Birgit Matthiesen, Partner Angela Santos, and Associate Christine Hintze discuss the impact of US Customs' crackdown on...more
Changes are afoot for key industry sectors with complicated global supply chains.
“As this pandemic has made clear, we can never again be in a position where we have to rely on a foreign country that doesn’t share our...more
3/1/2021
/ APIs ,
Batteries ,
Biden Administration ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Defense Sector ,
Energy Sector ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Controls ,
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ,
Minerals ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Popular ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Semiconductors ,
Supply Chain ,
Transportation Industry
The growing role that international trade rules are playing has left many corporate leaders to look beyond regularly imposed tariffs.
Earlier this month, we published our “Advance Look at Hot Button Trade Issues under the...more
1/29/2021
/ Automotive Industry ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Controls ,
Forced Labor ,
NAFTA ,
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Agreements ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
US Trade Policies