Consumer tech products imported from China bore more than $32 billion in Section 301 tariff exposure between July 2018, when the first of the tariffs took effect, and December 2021, without dissuading most U.S. importers to abandon Chinese sourcing, according to a newly released Consumer Technology Association report produced with Trade Partnership Worldwide. A CTA spokesperson said July 20 that the association released the report to coincide with this week's public hearing at the International Trade Commission as part of its investigation on the economic impact of the Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs on U.S. industries.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the July 19 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of July 11-17:
The following lawsuits were recently filed at the Court of International Trade:
Patented VicFlex sprinkler brackets are properly classified as “parts” of machines for dispersing or spraying liquids under tariff schedule subheading 8424.90.9080 and not subject to Section 301 duties, Victaulic said in a July 15 complaint to the Court of International Trade (Victaulic Company v. United States, CIT #22-00022).
A Court of International Trade case concerning imported pressure switches should be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction and timeliness, the government said in a July 15 brief opposing Environment One's motion to amend its summons. Alternatively, the government has asked the court to dismiss the action for failure to state a claim for which relief may be granted (Environment One Corporation v. United States et. al., CIT # 22-00124).
Congress is abandoning its effort to compromise on its two China packages as the Senate moves to pass a pared-down bill that will provide financial incentives for domestic semiconductor manufacturing. What exactly is in the bill isn't yet known, but none of the trade title is expected to survive.
The Supreme Court's key ruling that called into question federal agencies' authority to regulate major sectors of the economy if not explicitly delegated by Congress could positively impact plaintiffs in the massive case against the Section 301 China tariffs, Christopher Kane, partner at Simon Gluck, said in a LinkedIn post. Kane said he thought that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative overstepped its statutorily delegated authority by not engaging in the mandated deliberations before imposing the tariffs. Since the tariffs rise to the level of affecting a major segment of the U.S. economy, the West Virginia v. EPA decision would reverse the USTR's actions, Kane said.
The following are short summaries of recent CBP NY rulings issued by the agency's National Commodity Specialist Division in New York:
Republicans who are in the China package negotiations say that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's tweet that said that moving even a smaller Build Back Better bill would halt negotiations was not an empty threat. He had said that while Congress was away from Washington, at the beginning of the month (see 2207010039).