The U.S. and European Union are ending the longest trade dispute in the history of the World Trade Organization, and are moving from litigation to cooperation, the European Commission said in a news release. The White House said the tariffs are suspended for five years, which is a "fresh start," but allows the U.S. "to reapply tariffs if we’re no longer competing on a level playing field." Should the EU "cross a red line and U.S. producers are not able to compete fairly and on a level playing field, the United States retains the flexibility to reactivate the tariffs that are being suspended," said U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai during a call with reporters.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added eight entities to the Entity List for their involvement in nuclear proliferation activities. The entities, located in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, will face a license requirement for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, and BIS will impose a license review policy of presumption of denial.
The European Union announced May 17 that it would not hike tariffs on American goods that are on its retaliation list for Section 232 tariffs, such as whiskey, bourbon, orange juice, cigarettes, steel, motorcycles and yachts. Some items on the list have had a 25% additional tariff since June 2018, others, an additional 10% tariff since then. Europe had been scheduled to double the tariffs on June 1.
The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit removed a preliminary injunction against the State Department in an April 27 decision, allowing the agency move 3D-printed weapons off the U.S. Munitions List and onto the Commerce Control List. A State rule issued in 2020 would have made that change, but it was partly blocked as part a lawsuit filed by 20 states.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added seven Chinese “supercomputing” entities to the Entity List for procuring U.S.-origin items in a way that harms U.S. national security and supports China’s military, BIS said in a final rule that takes effect today. The rule imposes a license requirement for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, and BIS will impose a license review policy of presumption of denial. No license exceptions will be available.
The Senate approved House Ways and Means Chief Trade Counsel Katherine Tai to be the U.S. Trade Representative with no opposition. The Senate voted 98-0 in favor of the confirmation.
The European Union published an official notice that it is lifting tariffs for four months, starting March 11. The EU was levying retaliatory tariffs of 15% on aircraft and 25% on rum, vodka, brandy, cheeses, potatoes, nuts, fruits, juices, chocolate, ketchup and agricultural equipment from the U.S.
The European Union will drop its tariffs on U.S. exports on the Boeing retaliation list, and the U.S. will drop its Section 301 tariffs on EU products under the Airbus dispute, including food, wine and liquor, for four months, the EU announced March 5.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added one Chinese entity to its Entity List, another to its Military End User List and removed two Russian entities from the MEU List, the agency said in a final rule that is effective as of Jan. 14. The rule added China National Offshore Oil Corp. Ltd. (CNOOC) to its Entity List and designated Beijing Skyrizon Aviation Industry Investment Co., Ltd. as having ties to China’s military. It also removed Russia-based Korporatsiya Vsmpo Avisma OAO and Molot Oruzhie from the MEU List.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will add China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Company and more than 60 companies to the Entity List for actions “deemed contrary” to U.S. national security. BIS said SMIC, China’s top chipmaker, has concerning ties to China’s government and risks transferring imported U.S. technology to the country’s military. Other companies will be added to the Entity List for human rights abuses, for supporting China’s militarization of the South China Sea, for diverting U.S. products to China’s military and for the theft of U.S. trade secrets. BIS did not immediately say when the restrictions will take effect.