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In a Federal Register notice, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that 77 COVID-related and 352 other Section 301 duty exclusions that were set to expire on December 31, 2023, will be extended for an additional 5 months through May 31, 2024. The Section 301 duties were imposed on various products from China to counter certain acts, policies and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation. The USTR stated that the extension of the exclusions “will enable the orderly review of the exclusions consistent with statutory factors and objectives to identify in which cases additional time would enable shifts in sourcing to the United States or third countries”. The statutorily required four-year review of the Section 301 duties themselves is currently in process and the USTR further stated that this extension “will also facilitate the alignment of further decisions on these exclusions with the ongoing four-year review”.
A multinational organization based in Bangkok, Thailand, has agreed to pay $20,000,000 to settle potential civil liability for 467 apparent violations of OFAC sanctions on Iran. Between 2017 and 2018, the company facilitated $291 million in wire transfers through U.S. financial institutions for the sale of Iranian-origin high-density polyethylene resin (HDPE), manufactured by a joint venture involving the parent company in Iran. HDPE is a robust resin used in various plastic products such as food and beverage containers, shampoo bottles, and industrial items. Concurrently, the company initiated U.S. dollar wire transfer transactions to settle the joint venture’s debts to third-party vendors.
BIS has released the newest iteration of their guidance on export enforcement. The “Don’t Let This Happen to You” guidance document is dated March 2024 and is 76 pages of important guidance for the export community. The opening letter states “Export controls have never been more important to our collective security interests than they are today.” Follow the link below to check out more details!
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against work gloves manufactured in a Chinese company and its subsidiaries, based on evidence suggesting the use of convict labor. This action is part of the U.S. government's efforts to combat forced labor globally. With nearly 28 million workers suffering under such conditions worldwide, WROs are a means to deter companies from exploiting labor and to protect vulnerable populations. By enforcing laws prohibiting the importation of goods produced by forced labor, CBP aims to safeguard American workers, businesses, and consumers. Currently overseeing and enforcing numerous WROs and Findings, CBP emphasizes its commitment to eliminating forced labor from U.S. supply chains and encourages reporting of suspected violations.
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