It’s a little awkward, but in fact, a reality in this day and age that bilateral trade between two countries who view each other as somewhat adversarial, can co-exist economically. As the world turns, so does global trade, take Australia and China for the shining example.
This article provides an overview of federal procurement laws and how the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) implement some of those commitments in government contracts. The FAR, found under 48 C.F.R. Part 25, comprises the list of rules governing procurement of products and materials by federal agencies for public use.
The U.S. continues to spearhead enforcement against imported goods that were made using forced labor, and public enforcement statistics can help your company assess risks of forced labor.
When one company buys another there are typically two ways the purchased company will be treated: (1) It will be incorporated into the parent company and will no longer exist as a separate entity. (2) It will become a separately incorporated subsidiary of the parent company and retain its IRS number.
A large number of companies considering relocating their business abroad have turned their eyes to Mexico, which has become an attractive place for investors to relocate their business, mainly because it is close to the United States and Canada (nearshoring), the labor costs are relatively low, the availability of IMMEX (maquiladora) program, and because there is a preferential treatment to originating goods and foreign investments from the United States and Canada that are protected under the USMCA, among other factors.
2023 is more than a brand-new year – it is an opportunity for your company to prioritize supply chain and customs compliance. For some companies, this means filing a prior disclosure with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Companies that are frequent importers are seriously considering disclosing entry violations under the condition that Customs will not issue civil penalties against them.
The year 2022 saw a substantial increase in export restrictions applicable to China. The U.S. and China are not only in a trade war but there is also an effort by the U.S. to (1) prevent development of supercomputers, semiconductors and related products and technologies, and (2) prevent use of forced labor – especially involving the Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region.
China’s trade with Russia hit a record $190 billion U.S. in 2022, key operative word “record.” China is setting a course to become Russia’s top trade partner and prove to the world just what the “no limits” partnership can produce. An additional “maybe some limits” friend to Russia among the world’s larger economies is India.
If you are relocating to Mexico, or you are a producer, distributor, seller, etc., and the recipient of your goods is in Mexico because your client, final consumer, manufacturer, distributor, service provider, etc. is there, then, it is more than likely that you will be the exporter or the party responsible for reviewing and preparing some or all of the records needed to ship the goods to Mexico.
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) is continuing its project to revise and update the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Some of the changes are editorial and some are substantive. If you are affected by the ITAR or think you might be, you will need to stay on top of the changes because some (or all) may affect you.
At a glance, gauging where we stand in our relationship with China overall, one would assume the key operative word in most descriptions would be “dismal” at best. This is of course accurate to a certain extent but looking at trade and commerce between the two countries, let’s take a look at the largest retailer in the U.S. as Walmart gives us a prime example of where we stand regarding unity as nations.
On September 15th, 2024, the Mexican Congress published on the Diario Oficial de la Federacion (Mexican Official Gazette) a decree to amend, add, and abolish several provisions of the Mexican Constitution regarding the Judicial Power. This reform, as it is being called, is one of the major changes to the Mexican Judicial System and has been met with heated debates by opponents who fear it will put the balance and separation of power at risk as it will result in a weakened and deteriorated judicial system overpassed by the legislative and executive powers.
Not only are shipments under $800 exempt from duty but they are also exempt from Section 301 duties on Chinese products, Consumer Product Safety Commission requirements, import quotas and other requirements. Although they are supposed to be subject to Antidumping and Countervailing duty and Food & Drug Administration requirements, many low value shipments pass through the system without meeting these requirements.
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) are a novel form of governance for blockchain-based protocols. Unlike traditional companies or non-profits, DAOs are member-controlled organizations that operate without a central authority or hierarchical management. Instead, DAOS use smart contracts, often on the Ethereum blockchain. DAOs often use governance tokens to enable members to vote on proposals, make collective decisions about the organization’s operations, treasury, and future development.
The union and management teams reached a settlement agreement that was announced on October 4, 2024 to end the port strike. The settlement does not resolve the issues, but extends the master contract to Jan. 15, 2025, to allow the sides to negotiate outstanding issues. A final agreement must be ratified by union members.
On September 27, 2024, Commerce announced its affirmative final determination in the ongoing AD / CVD aluminum extrusions investigation. On the same day Commerce also posted its Final Scope Issues and Decision Memorandum. In both, Commerce almost uniformly deferred to Petitioners in dismissing numerous comments of interested parties primarily challenging the scope of the investigation on a wide range of legal theories and practical considerations.
Historically, trade agreements have focused on reducing barriers to trade—such as tariffs and quotas—while encouraging economic integration and growth. Environmental protection was often considered a separate issue, addressed primarily through national regulations or multilateral environmental agreements like the Paris Agreement. However, recent developments suggest that trade and environmental concerns are converging, with many new trade agreements incorporating specific environmental provisions.
This is the first of a three-part series about the USMCA joint review process, focusing on China, Mexico, and competing visions of a “worker-centered” trade policy. Part one introduces the USMCA joint review process and explores how US trade policy would likely operate during Trump’s second term. Part two outlines some of the major trade issues that will be on the table during joint review, focusing on the Mexico-US relationship, and anticipates Harris’s likely approach to trade policy. Part three offers a critique of the worker-centered trade policy developed under the Biden administration, presents an alternative, and suggests new avenues for multi-stakeholder participation that Harris’s approach might create.
The US, Canada, and Finland are launching a joint partnership to build more ice-breaking ships to compete with China and Russia in Arctic. Sad but true, here we go again. Whether it’s the South China sea, or even the moon, there will be territorial disputes to challenge ownership where no ownership should actually exist. The pact aims to produce a fleet of ice-breaking ships to display a posture of power in the polar regions and enforce international norms and treaties.
A product has a country of origin of China, is not subject to China 301 duties and is eligible for USMCA benefits when imported from Canada – Whaaat!?