PrimeSource Building Products, Inc., a U.S. importer of various steel derivative products, filed an amended complaint in the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) on February 4, 2020, arguing that President Donald Trump’s Proclamation No. 9980 is unlawful and unconstitutional. This proclamation expanded the implementation of steel and aluminum tariffs under Section 232 of the
Section 232 (Aluminum)
Secretary Ross Provides Update on Section 232 Steel/Aluminum Trade Actions to Senate Committee on Appropriations
On March 5, 2020, Secretary Wilbur Ross testified before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee to discuss President Donald Trump’s fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request for the Department of Commerce. In laying out the funding requests for each agency within the department, Ross requested $137.7 million for the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in order…
Another U.S. Importer Files Complaint Against Trump Administration’s Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Derivative Product Tariffs
Huttig Building Products, Inc. (Huttig) has become the latest U.S. importer to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s recent Section 232 tariffs on certain steel and aluminum derivative products. In a complaint filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT), Huttig argues that the president’s January 24, 2020 Proclamation imposing a 25…
U.S. Importer Files Complaint Challenging Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Derivative Products; Parties Agree to Injunctive Order on Importer’s Goods Only
PrimeSource Building Products, Inc., a U.S. importer of various steel derivative products, filed a complaint (subsequently amended) in the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) on February 4, 2020, arguing that President Donald Trump’s Proclamation No. 9980 is unlawful and unconstitutional. This proclamation expanded the implementation of steel and aluminum tariffs under Section 232 of…
President Trump Initiates New Section 232 Tariffs on Imports of Derivative Steel and Aluminum Products
On January 24, 2020, President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation directing the Department of Commerce to adjust the tariff rate on imports of derivative steel and aluminum products into the United States. In earlier proclamations (see Trump and Trade Update of March 8, 2018), the president directed Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to…
President Trump Tweets that Section 232 Tariffs Will Be Re-Imposed on Steel and Aluminum Imports from Argentina and Brazil
While no formal notice has been published by the Department of Commerce yet, President Donald Trump tweeted today that Section 232 tariffs will be re-imposed on imports of steel and aluminum products from Argentina and Brazil. In an early morning tweet, the president announced that “Brazil and Argentina have been presiding over a massive devaluation…
Department of Commerce’s Inspector General Issues Alert on “Lack of Transparency” in Section 232 Tariff Exclusion Process
In an October 28, 2019 memorandum for Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, the Department of Commerce’s Office of Inspector General (IG) issued a “management alert” over concerns about the “lack of transparency that contributes to the appearance of improper influence in decision-making” for the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariff exclusion process. While not requesting…
Department of Commerce to Launch Special Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Exclusion Request Portal
The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has published an Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register announcing that it has developed a specific portal (i.e., the ‘‘232 Exclusions Portal’’) for persons submitting exclusion requests, objections to exclusion requests, rebuttals and surrebuttals to replace the use of the federal rulemaking portal (…
United States Removes Section 232 National Security Steel and Aluminum Tariffs on Canada and Mexico
On May 17, 2019, the United States, Canada and Mexico concluded an agreement in which the United States agreed to remove the Section 232 tariffs for steel and aluminum imports from those countries and Canada and Mexico agreed to remove all retaliatory tariffs imposed on U.S. goods. Accordingly, President Donald Trump issued proclamations declaring that…
WTO Dispute Settlement Panel’s Decision to Rule on National Security Exception May Have a Major Impact on Trump Administration’s Section 232 Tariffs
A World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel ruling, Russia – Measures Concerning Traffic in Transit, issued last week on a member’s use of the WTO’s so-called “national security exception” under Article XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) may have a significant impact on the Trump administration’s application of…