Titanium Metals Corporation (TIMET) filed a petition on Aug. 24 with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping and countervailing duties on titanium sponge from Kazakhstan, and new antidumping duties on titanium sponge from Japan. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations on titanium sponge that could eventually result in the assessment of AD/CV duties.
Russia export controls and sanctions
The use of export controls and sanctions on Russia has surged since the country's invasion of Crimea in 2014, and especially its invasion of Ukraine in in February 2022. Similar export controls and sanctions have been imposed by U.S. allies, including the EU, U.K. and Japan. The following is a listing of recent articles in Export Compliance Daily on export controls and sanctions imposed on Russia:
Canada redoubled its efforts this week to conclude a softwood lumber deal with the U.S., as officials wrote to all U.S. senators that duties would translate to higher U.S. home prices and huge job losses, and made the case publicly that Canada has submitted fair softwood proposals to the U.S. Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. David MacNaughton said during an Aug. 24 panel discussion at his embassy that Canada is willing to negotiate a cap on the allowable U.S. market share of Canadian softwood, but also wants cap flexibility in case the U.S. homebuilding industry experiences “excess demand" for the good. “We are going to try really hard in the next little while to get a fair and balanced agreement with the United States, and if that is not possible, we have all agreed that we will take all necessary steps to litigate this matter until we get a fair arrangement, as we have in the past,” MacNaughton said.
Four Republican senators cautioned President Donald Trump in an Aug. 10 letter against blocking Venezuelan crude oil imports, which the officials said could cede U.S. economic benefits to China and/or Russia. “Blockading imports could inflict great harm on this industry and burden U.S. taxpayers with the cost,” wrote Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, John Cornyn of Texas, and Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker of Mississippi. “It is clear that there is a market outside of the U.S. to receive the Venezuelan oil. Without cooperation by the international community, including Russia and China, the U.S. energy industry and American citizens will bear the economic consequences of the sanctions.” The senators commended the Trump administration for targeted sanctions against the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (see 1708090045 and 1708080001), who has been widely accused of administering sham parliamentary elections to consolidate his power. Broad unilateral sanctions could drive the Maduro regime into “further disarray” and prompt Venezuela to shift some commerce with the U.S. to Russia and China, the senators wrote. “We urge a coordinated, multi-lateral approach that deprives the Maduro regime of all funding options, rather than simply closing the door to the United States’ market.”
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of July 31 - Aug. 6:
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 31 - Aug. 4 in case they were missed.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is asking industry stakeholders to comment on Russia’s implementation of its World Trade Organization commitments. The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee will also use the stakeholder comments to craft its annual report on Russia’s WTO obligations, USTR said. The agency will also convene a Sept. 28 hearing on the matter. The 2016 report criticized Russia for opaque customs regulations for import valuation, tedious import licensing requirements, and troublesome rules for imports of alcoholic products, among other things (see 1612220050). Russia imposed a ban in 2014 on some U.S. agricultural products after the Obama administration and allies sanctioned Russia over its involvement in the Ukraine conflict (see 14082620). Comments for the 2017 report are due on Sept. 22.
The Trump administration’s “primary” trade enforcement objective is defending the Commerce Department’s ability to assess antidumping and countervailing duties used to address distortions caused by China’s “non-market economy system,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a recently released report to Congress. Required by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, the 2017 Trade Enforcement Priorities Report blasts China for its excessive production of steel and aluminum, saying oversupply of the metals has suppressed U.S. and global prices, and has displaced U.S. exports in foreign markets. “The protection of U.S. workers and industry against unfairly traded imports into the United States from China and other countries is an essential tool in combatting distortions such as overcapacity,” the report says. “Therefore, USTR will continue to aggressively defend all WTO challenges to U.S. trade remedy actions, including in the context of numerous ongoing disputes.”
President Donald Trump on Aug. 2 signed legislation that authorizes new sanctions against Iran, Russia and North Korea, the White House announced. Specifically, the bill directs the president to assess military sanctions on Iran, provides for several economic and cyber-related sanctions against Russia, and provides for several economic sanctions against North Korea. The law also provides sanctions for North Korean cargo and shipping, goods produced through North Korean convict or forced labor, and foreign persons that employ North Korean forced laborers. The legislation requires the State Department to determine whether North Korea meets criteria for designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. In an Aug. 2 statement, Trump said he favors "tough measures" to "punish and deter aggressive and destabilizing behavior."
The Senate on July 27 passed legislation that would authorize new sanctions against Iran, Russia and North Korea. H.R. 3364 now goes to the White House for consideration, after the House approved the bill on July 26 (see 1707270002). "We will review the bill now that this legislation is final but we strongly support sanctions against all three countries," a White House spokeswoman said in an email.
The House on July 26 passed legislation that would authorize new sanctions against Iran, Russia and North Korea. H.R. 3364 now goes to the Senate for consideration. The office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., didn't comment on when the Senate might consider the bill, but Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in a statement said he expects the Senate "in short order" to pass the legislation. "At that point, it is incumbent upon President Trump to immediately sign this legislation into law, or risk endorsing Moscow’s interference in future elections," Warner said. “We must also make clear to Iran and North Korea that they will be held accountable for their actions, including North Korea’s advancement of its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons program, the detention and death of University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier, and the continued imprisonment of American citizens.”