The Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated on April 20. The following headquarters rulings not involving carriers were modified on April 17 or April 20, according to CBP:
Trade groups that represent importers are asking that restrictions to the products eligible for the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program from Thailand be delayed. The groups said in a letter to President Donald Trump that the changes, scheduled for April 25, “would increase costs for American employers [that] already are struggling to maintain employment levels in response to shutdowns and falling demand around the world” brought on by COVID-19 pandemic response measures. They asked for at least a six-month delay.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 30 - April 5:
The annual U.S. Trade Agenda puts more emphasis on heralding past “America First” victories than setting up this year's agenda, but there are tidbits throughout the more-than-300-page report that give hints to what might come in trade. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said it “is hopeful that [the U.S.] can make more progress in the coming year than has been possible in prior years” in trade negotiations with the European Union.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is open to a panoply of requests related to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program, with a deadline of the end of the day March 26 for petitions. Parties can ask USTR to modify the GSP status of countries because of those countries' practices; argue for or against GSP eligibility for products (either currently covered by GSP or not); argue against de minimis waivers for specific products; or argue for Competitive Need Limit (CNL) waivers. Submissions are preferred in electronic form here.
Six Democratic senators recently sent a letter that calls for suspending Generalized System of Preferences program benefits if labor rights violations are found in the Philippines. The senators also oppose a free trade agreement with the Philippines. This letter, sent Feb. 11, follows a letter from House Democrats in 2018 that also argued that the Philippines is not the right target for a free trade deal, given the human rights violations there (see: 1809050040). “We are gravely concerned that our trade policy could be mistaken for condoning the labor and human rights violations perpetrated by President Duterte,” wrote Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore; Robert Menendez, D-N.J.; Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Bob Casey, D-Pa. They asked for an out-of-cycle review for GSP eligibility over human rights and labor rights, and for a quick suspension from the program if violations are substantiated.
At a press event during President Donald Trump's visit to India, both he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were vague on how trade tensions might be eased between the two countries. A senior administration official said before the trip that India's announcement of higher tariffs precluded a mini-deal that would have restored India to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program (see 2002210041). Trump said he'd been talking with Modi about how to forge an economic relationship “that is fair and reciprocal. Our teams have made tremendous progress on a comprehensive trade agreement and I’m optimistic we can reach a deal that will be of great importance to both countries.” He said U.S. exports to India are up nearly 60 percent since he took office.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he doesn't expect the U.S. to negotiate over the tariffs it has put on European goods like Airbus planes, Scotch whiskey, French wine, and Spanish wine and olive oil until the World Trade Organization rules on Boeing subsidies. Currently, there are 10% tariffs on Airbus planes and 25% tariffs on the wine, liquor and food items; the aircraft tariff is set to climb to 15% on March 18. The Boeing ruling is not expected for several months.
While a small deal could be announced during President Donald Trump's trip early next week to India, senior White House officials say that will be purchase announcements, not a full or partial restoration of India to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program. While they declined to go into specifics on what the sticking points have been in talks on improving market access, they noted that the complaints of U.S. exporters are well known.
A restoration of India to the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program that's been under negotiation for more than six months (see 1909060029) is unlikely to be announced during President Donald Trump's trip to India next week, the U.S.-India Business Council said Feb. 20. Nisha Biswal, president of the USIBC, said on a conference call with reporters, “It does look at this juncture that we may not have a trade agreement as part of the president’s visit … which is of course a disappointment to our members.”