The US International Trade Commission (ITC) was instated with the aim of protecting US domestic industries from instances of unfair competition from international businesses, often through its ‘unfair import’ or Section 337 evaluations. These investigations have, for several decades, been utilised as a weapon for US businesses in the battle against exploitative trade practices. However,…
In an unprecedented move, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on vessels and their owners for violating the price cap on seaborne Russian crude oil. This occasion marks the first enforcement of this type, as reported on 12 October 2023. These sanctions were initiated in association with…
As of October 18, 2023, following the agreement on an electoral roadmap between Venezuela’s Unitary Platform and representatives of the Maduro regime, the U.S. has paved the way forward by pulling back on several primary Venezuela-related sanctions. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is now carrying out the softening…
The U.S. Patent Office, the National Institute of Standards, and the International Trade Administration recently announced their desire for feedback to help structure U.S. policy regarding foreign standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing regulatory regimes. This call for input comes on the heels of a proposal by the European Commission to reform SEP licensing. The decision holds…
In a move that directly impacts international trade and sanctions law, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on October 18, 2023, announced an easing of some of its U.S. sanctions on Venezuela. This measure was taken in response to the signing of an electoral roadmap between Venezuela’s Unitary Platform…
In a significant move in the global trade sphere, China has announced revisions to its export restrictions on graphite items, a development that may impact the international supply chain of electric vehicle manufacturers. Starting from December 1, 2023, the country plans to impose formal export controls on three particularly sensitive graphite items, which were being…
On October 17, the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW) filed antidumping duty petitions, causing a ripple effect in the industry. Antidumping Duty (AD) consists of import-specific duties that the United States imposes on foreign goods believed to be priced less than fair value. The…
On October 18, 2024, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License 44 (GL 44), a measure that has resulted in a broader-than-expected allowance for all transactions in Venezuela’s oil and gas sector. This response came following an agreement struck between representatives of President Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan political opposition regarding a…
As the globally interconnected economy faces ever-evolving pressures, international corporations and law firms are eagerly seeking insights and guidance regarding trade challenges and opportunities, particularly concerning the U.S. role in the fluctuating landscape. To shed light on these vital topics, global law firm Hogan Lovells hosted a unique webinar series targetting life sciences and health…
In today’s global business landscape, international trademark protection is more significant than ever, and the primary tool for businesses seeking this protection is the Madrid System. This system, managed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), enables companies to register their trademarks in multiple jurisdictions across the globe with a single application, rather than filing…
In a notable development on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released a package of three rules, collectively referred to as the 2023 Rules, specifically targeting the Chinese semiconductor industry. This update reshapes the semi-conductor sector, influencing the flow of information and commerce between the U.S. and China. The…
“A cheese by any other name would smell as sweet”, or so The Briefing might have us believe in their latest podcast episode, “When Parmesan isn’t Parmesan – Cheese Consortium Attempts to Fight Off Counterfeit Cheese”. The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, guardians of one of Italy’s most famed culinary treasures, find themselves embroiled at the forefront…
The Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Defense’s National Industrial Security Program (DoD-NISP) published a joint notice on October 5, 2023. The notification attempts to provide clearer instructions to agencies regarding facility security clearances for joint ventures, especially those set up under the…
On October 17, 2023, the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (the Union) lodged an antidumping duty (AD) petition on truck and bus tires originating from Thailand. This information is made available by Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. The petition by the Union…
As of 1 August 2023, Ukraine joins the ranks of the European Union, Mexico, Montenegro, Singapore, and the United Kingdom as a Contracting State to the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the “Choice of Court Convention”). The Choice of Court Convention holds significant implications both for Ukraine and…
News from the international trade sphere is shifting its gaze towards South America as chief negotiators from the Mercosur trade bloc and the European Union (EU) convened in Brasilia, Brazil earlier this month. The aim was to reopen discourses for achieving an inter-regional Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The decision to continue these talks follows the…
On October 17, 2023, the United Steel, Paper, and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial, and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (collectively known as “USW”) filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping duties on truck and bus tires imported from Thailand. The petition was a significant move by USW that may potentially affect…
Stephenson Harwood is expanding its team with an addition of eight new members from Ince Gordon Dadds in Greater China. The firm hopes that these new hires will allow them to work with a wider variety of clients based in mainland China, ranging from shipyards and traders to LNG operators. The team includes several high-profile…
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has released a new advisory aimed at the Maritime Oil Industry and Related Sectors. This communique, which was made public on October 12, 2023, provides clear guidelines in response to the recently observed developments in the maritime trade of crude oil and other petroleum-based products. The report was…
In an announcement made on October 17, 2023, the law firm Carlton Fields confirmed that Jayashree Mitra has been introduced to the firm as a shareholder. Her role will be primarily in the Intellectual Property (IP) practice in New York Carlton Fields stated on Tuesday. Mitra’s legal career has been focused primarily on patent litigation,…
Financial institutions and corporations involved in international trading are facing increasingly complex challenges when it comes to combatting trade-based money laundering (TBML). This form of money laundering, which is one of the most sophisticated, leverages the cover of international trade transactions to move illicit funds across borders, all while concealing the original source and ownership…
Earlier this month, John Can Unsalan, the president of a major steel-making company, entered a guilty plea for a single count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Notably, Unsalan maintains close connections with several Russian oligarchs, drawing considerable international attention to the case. These transactions were allegedly carried out with a clear intention to encourage…
The international trade sphere has seen a flurry of recent activity, notably from the U.S. Government, highlighting continually stringent compliance measures in various areas. One salient development deals with the Court of International Trade elucidating the approach to determining the country of origin of goods. This significantly impacts import/export businesses and may influence their strategies….
On October 4, 2023, American producers of aluminum extrusions took noteworthy measures to protect their interests. These manufacturers filed both antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions with two significant U.S. bodies: the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the International Trade Commission (ITC). Their aim? To potentially levy additional tariffs on the import of…
Over the recent years, there have been significant evolutions in how the U.S. federal trademark law applies to conduct outside the United States. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Abitron Austria v. Hetronic International, Inc. has brought renewed attention to the legal reach of trademark disputes beyond domestic borders. The court’s decision examined whether federal…