IRobot anticipates “going back to a world” of 25% Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-sourced goods once its List 3 tariff exclusion expires Dec. 31, said CEO Colin Angle on a Q3 call Wednesday. The pandemic delayed iRobot’s “original plans” to shift most U.S.-bound production to Malaysia by the end of 2020 to reduce or eliminate its Chinese tariff exposure (see 1910230024), instead pushing the Malaysia transition “well into 2021,” he said. The stock closed 13% lower at $83.48, a day after reaching a 52-week high of $98.55.

An economist in Europe and one in the U.S. say policymakers talking about the vulnerabilities of supply chains are drawing the wrong conclusions from the shortages of personal protective equipment, but while they say policy decisions should be fact-based, it's not clear that procurement professionals can influence the politicians. Simon Evenett, an international trade professor at Switzerland's University of St. Gallen, said during a Peterson Institute for International Economics program that in most medical goods and medicines, China is not the largest supplier, though it is for PPE.

The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Oct. 12-18:

Chief Judge Timothy Stanceu of the U.S. Court of International Trade should “automatically stay” all but the lead HMTX Industries-Jasco Products complaint in the Section 301 litigation (see 2009110041) and designate HMTX-Jasco as the “test case,” said DOJ’s motion (in Pacer) Monday to adopt case management procedures. All of the nearly 3,600 complaints inundating the CIT seek to vacate the List 3 and 4A tariff rulemakings and get the duties refunded. The roster of complaints (in Pacer) attached to DOJ’s motion takes up 187 pages.

Grunfeld Desiderio counseled clients in the Section 301 litigation to consider a “sliding scale” of options on filing timely complaints within the two-year statute of limitations window that qualifies importers to recover duties paid if the suits are successful, partner Ned Marshak said in an Oct. 19 interview. The firm filed more than 800 of the nearly 3,600 complaints inundating the Court of International Trade. Its Sept. 16 complaint on behalf of YC Rubber was the first to follow Akin Gump's suit for lead plaintiff HMTX Industries.

International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from Oct. 13-16 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

Grunfeld Desiderio counseled clients in the Section 301 litigation to consider a “sliding scale” of options on filing timely complaints within the two-year statute of limitations window that qualifies importers to recover duties paid if the suits are successful, partner Ned Marshak told us Monday. The firm filed more than 800 of the nearly 3,600 complaints inundating the U.S. Court of International Trade. Its Sept. 16 complaint (in Pacer) on behalf of YC Rubber was the first to follow Akin Gump's suit for lead plaintiff HMTX Industries.

Chief Judge Timothy Stanceu of the U.S. Court of International Trade should “automatically stay” all but the lead HMTX Industries-Jasco Products complaint in the Section 301 litigation and designate HMTX-Jasco as the “test case,” the Department of Justice said in an Oct. 19 motion to adopt case management procedures. All the nearly 3,600 complaints inundating the CIT seek to vacate the lists 3 and 4A tariff rulemakings and get the duties refunded. The roster of complaints attached to DOJ’s motion takes up 187 pages.

The International Trade Commission on Oct. 14 issued Revision 23 to the 2020 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The latest edition implements extensions to exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on products from China under new subheadings 9903.88.60 and 9903.88.61 (see 2010010038). A few technical corrections are also made to General Note 11 on USMCA.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:​