Insights on Customs Litigation

On April 1, the US Secretary of Commerce initiated a section 232 “national security” investigation, “to determine the effects on national security of imports of semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME), and their derivative products. This includes, among other things, semiconductor substrates and bare wafers, legacy chips, leading-edge chips, microelectronics, and SME components. Derivative products include downstream products that contain semiconductors, such as those that make up the electronics supply chain.”

Effective April 5, the United States imposed a 10% baseline tariff on imports from nearly all countries, excluding products from Canada and Mexico, and those products contained in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Column 2 and the Annex II list attached to Executive Order 14257. In contrast, Chinese imports are subject an increased 125% reciprocal tariff rate, combined with 20% International Emergency Economic Powers Act duty rate in effect since March 4.

Welcome to the April 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.

In addition to navigating the Trump Administration’s ever-changing international trade policy through the use of existing (e.g., Section 301, Section 232, etc.) and novel (e.g., International Emergency Economic Powers Act, reciprocal) tariffs, US importers now must also be cognizant of the increased use of the False Claims Act (FCA) to enforce against customs fraud.

Welcome to the January 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.

Welcome to the November 2024 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.

Welcome to the October 2024 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.

Welcome to the September 2024 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.

On the penultimate day of its term, in Loper Bright v. Raimondo, the US Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference, which required that courts defer to a federal agency’s interpretation of the relevant law, as long as that interpretation was reasonable.

Welcome to the June 2024 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.

Two years after declaring a national emergency and instructing the US Department of Commerce (Commerce) to pause the imposition of AD/CVD duties applicable to certain imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar cells and modules from four countries in Southeast Asia, President Joe Biden announced on May 14 that his administration is ending the so-called “solar bridge” created through Presidential Proclamation 10414.

Welcome to the May 2024 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.

On March 26, Eastman Chemical Company (Petitioner) filed antidumping duty (AD) petitions on dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) from Taiwan, Turkey, Malaysia, and Poland.

On March 14, 2024, Corteva Agriscience LLC (Petitioner) filed an antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitioners on 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D) from the People’s Republic of China and India.

In the latest installment of Five Questions, Five Answers, host Birgit Matthiesen is joined by International Trade & Investment Associate Jessica DiPietro for a deep dive into the complex world of aluminum extrusions.

If your imported product contains an aluminum extrusion part or a part that includes extruded aluminum, it may be subject to additional duties effective March 11, 2024. Here’s what you need to know.

On February 14, Cornerstone Chemical Company (Petitioner) filed antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions on melamine from Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Qatar, and Trinidad and Tobago.