International

January 15, 2021

On January 12, 2021, the Government of Ontario declared a second state of emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the government issued a province-wide Stay-at-Home Order and amended O. Reg. 82/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 1 (“Stage 1 Rules”) to introduce stricter lockdown measures starting January 14, 2021. “Essential” Businesses As of January 12, the entire province has been moved back to the grey zone and…

Global Trade Policy Blog

US Announces Region-Wide Ban on Cotton and Tomato Imports from Xinjiang

By Eric Emerson & Nicholas Kimbrell

January 15, 2021

On January 13, 2021 the US Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that, effective immediately, all cotton and tomato products imported from China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) will be barred from entering the United States. The ban, officially called a Withhold Release Order (WRO), is “based on information that reasonably indicates the use of detainee or prison labor and situations of forced labor” according to CBP. This region-wide order joins…

Cleary International Trade and Sanctions Watch

President Trump Authorizes Restrictions on Additional Chinese Applications and Calls for Potential New Export Restrictions on Personal Data; Details to Come

By Paul Marquardt, Chase D. Kaniecki & Hani Isam Bashour

January 15, 2021

In one of a series of lame-duck sanctions and export control actions rushed into place before the transition to the Biden Administration, on January 5, 2021, President Trump issued an Executive Order Addressing the Threat Posed by Applications and Other Software Developed or Controlled by Chinese Companies (the Executive Order)[1] authorizing the Commerce Department to regulate or prohibit any transaction involving a U.S. person or within the jurisdiction of the United States with persons…

Global Policy Watch

The Week Ahead in the European Parliament – Friday, January 15, 2021

By Sebastian Vos

January 15, 2021

Next week will be plenary week in the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will gather virtually and in person in Brussels. Several interesting votes and debates are scheduled to take place. On Monday, MEPs will debate and vote (Tuesday) on a report on strengthening the EU’s capabilities to enforce its rights under international trade agreements and within WTO context. The report details the Parliament’s legislative position regarding the revision of Regulation (EU)…

SmarTrade

Executive Order on Investments in Communist Chinese Military Companies Amended

By Thompson Hine International Trade

January 15, 2021

Key Notes: U.S. persons must divest their holdings of publicly traded securities, derivatives and similar instruments of CCMCs by November 11, 2021. Holdings in mutual funds and other pooled investment vehicles are subject to the divestment requirements. On January 13, President Trump amended his previously issued Executive Order to address confusion over whether U.S. persons must divest publicly traded securities in certain “Communist Chinese Military Companies” (CCMCs). View this full client update in HTML or…

The Trade Practitioner

ITC Ends 2020 with New Section 337 Complaints; A Look Ahead for 2021

By Trade Practitioner

January 15, 2021

– This blog post is published as part of content partnership with our Global IP & Technology Law Blog – After a slow but steady start to 2020, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) saw a flurry of new Section 337 complaints filed in the second half of the year. Eight new complaints were filed in December, resulting in a total of 57 complaints filed in 2020.…

International Trade Law

Vietnam Section 301 Currency Report

By Evan Chuck, Robert L. LaFrankie, Frances P. Hadfield & Clayton Kaier

January 15, 2021

On January 15, 2021, The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a Section 301 report on Vietnam’s currency valuation practices. The report follows the conclusion of public hearings and submission of rebuttal comments in late December of 2020 and early January of 2021. Notably, USTR’s press release states that “ USTR is not taking any specific actions in connection with the findings at this time but will continue to evaluate all available options. Vietnam Currency Investigation Conclusions…

SmarTrade

USTR Issues Findings in Investigation of Vietnam’s Currency Valuation Practices

By Scott Diamond

January 15, 2021

On January 15, 2021, barely two weeks after holding a public hearing into the matter and just over three months after initiating an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued its findings regarding Vietnam’s currency valuation. USTR found that “Vietnam’s acts, policies, and practices related to currency valuation, including excessive foreign exchange market interventions and other related actions, taken in their totality, are…

India Corporate Law

RBI Working Group on Digital Lending – Policy Suggestions

By Anu Tiwari & Tanya Nayyar

January 15, 2021

The Reserve Bank of India (“RBI”), through a press release issued on January 13, 2021, has set up a working group on digital lending (“WG”), to study all aspects of digital lending activities in the regulated financial sector as well as by unregulated players so that an appropriate regulatory approach can be put in place. The move is well-timed, given the recent turmoil witnessed in the Indian digital lending space, and comes on the back…

SmarTrade

Commerce Adds and Removes Entities on Entity List and the MEU List

By Scott Diamond

January 15, 2021

On January 14, 2021, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a Federal Register notice announcing the addition and removal of certain Chinese and Russian entities from the Entity List and the Military End-User (MEU) List. Notably, BIS added China National Offshore Oil Corporation Ltd. to the Entity List for its involvement in China’s “efforts to assert its unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, as well as efforts to…

International

Ontario Declares Second State of Emergency and Announces New Public Health Restrictions

US Announces Region-Wide Ban on Cotton and Tomato Imports from Xinjiang

President Trump Authorizes Restrictions on Additional Chinese Applications and Calls for Potential New Export Restrictions on Personal Data; Details to Come

The Week Ahead in the European Parliament – Friday, January 15, 2021

Executive Order on Investments in Communist Chinese Military Companies Amended

ITC Ends 2020 with New Section 337 Complaints; A Look Ahead for 2021

Vietnam Section 301 Currency Report

USTR Issues Findings in Investigation of Vietnam’s Currency Valuation Practices

RBI Working Group on Digital Lending – Policy Suggestions

Commerce Adds and Removes Entities on Entity List and the MEU List

International Blogs

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