Insights on International Trade & Investment

Food, Drug, Medical Device & Cosmetic Partner Emily Cowley Leongini and International Trade & Investment Associate Mario Torrico will speak at SupplySide Global 2025.

After a three month wait, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has finally caught up with the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in relaxing restrictions on trade with Syria, but this time in the export control world.

Customs & Import Compliance Practice Group Leader Angela Santos was quoted on the federal appeals court’s ruling that the Trump Administration could not use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to authorize sweeping worldwide tariffs.

Lucas A. Rock was quoted on how the ending of the de minimis tax exemption is impacting international retailers importing goods into the United States and their intended consumers.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 132 attorneys have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2026, with two attorneys highlighted as “Lawyers of the Year” and 66 attorneys listed as “Ones to Watch.”

Following weeks of anticipation, the US Department of Commerce has issued its formal determination expanding the list of steel and aluminum products subject to the 50% ad valorem duties imposed under Section 232.

On July 22, President Trump announced that the United States and Japan had reached a bilateral trade agreement, which if fully implemented, would reduce tariffs on Japanese imports to a baseline 15% rate in exchange for a Japanese commitment to invest $550 billion in the United States.

Welcome to the August 2025 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

On July 22, the US Senate passed the Maintaining American Superiority by Improving Export Control Transparency Act (the Bill), sending it to President Trump for his signature.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is back in the spotlight.

Customs & Import Compliance Practice Group Leader Angela Santos was quoted in a recent New York Times article discussing the swift actions taken by businesses to remove goods from “bonded warehouses” in response to the latest tariff threats from the Trump Administration.

After weeks of anticipation and a flurry of news from Washington, DC, the White House has issued a long-awaited executive order (EO) that resets the landscape for US reciprocal tariffs and related trade measures.

On July 31, 2025, ArentFox Schiff hosted the HGPII Annual Best Practices Forum, one of the group purchasing sector’s premier training and leadership development conferences.

In this episode of Five Questions, Five Answers, host Birgit Matthiesen welcomes AFS attorney James Kim to explore the current state of US tariffs and their impact on importers and various industries, with a special focus on the electric vehicle sector.

On July 15, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced the initiation of a Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s trade practices to determine whether certain acts, policies, and practices of the Brazilian government are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict US commerce.

On July 9, President Trump told a group of reporters that a 50% tariff on all copper imports was imminent.

Join Mario Torrico for a webinar hosted by Stickybeak.

Join Antonio Rivera for a webinar hosted by the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce.

Welcome to the July 2025 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

On June 1, Mexico held its first-ever national election to appoint judges from the lowest levels in the judicial hierarchy to the very highest, including the Mexican Supreme Court. In total, the 7,700 judges elected through this process will replace previously appointed judges and will take office on September 1.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 21 practices and 84 attorneys have been recognized by The Legal 500 United States 2025 guide, including three Tier 1 rankings for (1) Chicago Elite – Corporate and M&A Leading Law Firms, (2) Intellectual Property – Patents: Prosecution (Including Re–Examination and Post–Grant Proceedings), and (3) Finance – Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Municipal.

On June 11, the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced the release of two General Authorizations, accompanied by additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the January 16 Information and Communication Technology and Services (ICTS) Rule that prohibits the import and sale of connected vehicles and their related hardware/software with a sufficient Chinese or Russian nexus, “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain: Connected Vehicles” (the Connected Vehicles Rule).

Join Angela Santos as she speaks on a panel at PV ModuleTech’s upcoming conference.

Welcome to the June 2025 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

Join AFS Health Care Partner Annie Lee for an insightful Strafford Webinar on June 18, 2025, from 1:00pm-2:30pm EDT.