Register here to join us for one or both of these timely sessions.

February 4th – Trump Administration and Trade: Tariffs and Customs

February 11th – Trump Administration and Trade: Sanctions, Export Controls, Investment Restrictions, and Global Mobility

February 4, 2025, 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET
Trump Administration and Trade: Tariffs and Customs
Join Crowell’s International Trade and Government Affairs attorneys as they explore the anticipated Trump Administration’s tariffs and their implications along with new customs and trade remedy issues facing importers. Trump’s first administration saw significant new duties, including Section 201, 232, and 301 tariffs, which resulted in importers scrambling to reconfigure supply chains to minimize duties and secure alternative sources for imported goods. This session will provide essential insights and actionable strategies for companies to prepare for the immediate impact of the duties and identify longer term approaches for stable supply lines. In this webinar, our attorneys will discuss the following topics:Continue Reading Register Now! Trump Administration and Trade: Two-Part Webinar Set

Introduction

The DOE in 2023 significantly increased its enforcement activity against manufactures and importers alleged to have violated EPCA’s energy and water conservation standards and related certification requirements, based on available public information. As we previously flagged, the substantial rise in enforcement activity comes as the Biden Administration increasingly focuses on EPCA as a means of achieving environmental policy objectives, including reducing carbon emissions. The Department has continued its enforcement efforts in 2024 and early data from this year sheds light on the Department’s enforcement priorities.Continue Reading Appliance Standards: Steep Increase in Department of Energy Enforcement Cases Puts Appliance Manufacturers and Importers at Financial Risk

This is an update to the International Trade Law Blog’s December 22, 2021 post on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

On December 23, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). This action by President Biden comes a week after the law passed both chambers of Congress. After stalling in the Senate last year, an updated version of the bill was reintroduced on January 27, 2021 by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and passed the Senate on July 14. The House version of the bill was introduced by Congressman James McGovern (D-MA) on February 18, 2021 and passed on December 8. Congressman McGovern and Senator Rubio reconciled the bill and delivered it to each respective chamber a week later. The reconciled version then passed the House and the Senate through unanimous decisions on December 14 and December 16, respectively.
Continue Reading Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Signed into Law

Two important developments from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are potentially significant to the retail industry, but may have escaped widespread attention in light of recent worldwide events. Somewhat unusually, both proposals are administered by EPA under TSCA, despite the fact that TSCA typically applies to chemical products, not manufactured articles.

Comment and compliance deadlines

On January 31, 2020, the Trump administration issued an executive order cracking down on U.S. businesses that import directly or facilitate the import of counterfeit or pirated goods, illegal narcotics and other contraband. The order, entitled “Ensuring Safe & Lawful E-Commerce for US Consumers, Business, Government Supply Chains and Intellectual Property Rights,” directs

The Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) process is administered by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Under the MTB process, U.S. importers may petition for duty-free or reduced-duty treatment of certain imported products by submitting an MTB petition to the ITC. The ITC has indicated that it will open its portal and begin accepting MTB petitions

In today’s protectionist environment, importers are facing heightened legal risks and a potential False Claims Act (FCA) violation when providing information to Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). In June, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York filed a civil fraud lawsuit against Manhattan-based children’s apparel companies Stargate Apparel, Inc., Rivstar

In June 2018, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced additional tariffs on products imported from China. The additional tariffs are part of the U.S.’ response to China’s unfair trade practices related to “the forced transfer of American technology and intellectual property” pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Manufacturers of battery chargers or external power supplies (EPSs), or sellers of consumer products that include battery chargers or EPSs, are likely subject to strict energy conservation standards. By virtue of Department of Energy (DOE) regulations that took effect in February 2016 and June 2018 for EPSs and battery chargers, respectively, manufacturers and importers of