A bipartisan group of four senators introduced a bill Dec. 16 to impose additional sanctions targeting Russia’s oil revenue.
Almost 75 House members, from both parties, asked the U.S. trade representative to hold Canada accountable for not meeting its dairy commitments under USMCA. The U.S. already brought two panels against Canada over the issue of its tariff rate quota administration, and while it won some arguments in the first dispute, Canada's fixes were ruled adequate in the second (see 2311240002).
There's concern that Russia-related sanctions coordination among allies could “unravel,” especially as the Trump administration pursues its Russia-Ukraine peace strategy, the U.K. Parliament said in a research briefing last week.
The U.K. on Nov. 26 opened a public comment period for its planned elimination of duty exemptions for low-value imports. The country for several months had been reviewing whether to remove the tariff exemption for imports costing under 135 pounds, and the finance ministry said it expects to eliminate the exemption by March 2029 "at the latest."
EU ministers and Parliament members this week urged the bloc to respond forcefully to China’s rare earth export restrictions if Beijing doesn’t repeal them or swiftly grant export licenses to European companies. Some also said they’re skeptical Beijing’s one-year suspension for some of its export controls will last.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said Nov. 21 that he plans to file a discharge petition to force a House vote on a bill to impose additional sanctions on Russia and new tariffs on countries that buy its oil and gas.
As a Russia sanctions bill appears to have more momentum (see 2511170041), Democratic senators declined to say what tariff levels would be effective or appropriate if it becomes law.
Congress will move toward a vote on a bill that gives the president the authority to hike tariffs on goods from countries that buy Russian energy, and directs him to prohibit banking transactions and foreign exchange transactions for Russian companies doing business with companies or banks in other countries.
China has suspended port fees for U.S. ships and sanctions on five U.S. subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Marine Corporation in response to the Trump administration's decision last week to drop ship fees for Chinese vessels and slash tariffs on Chinese goods (see 2511030005).
Although China agreed to temporarily suspend its sweeping rare earth export restrictions, the threat of those controls returning appears likely, said Jude Blanchette, director of the Rand China Research Center.