Tag Archives: United States

This Week in Transatlantic Trade

This week in transatlantic trade: Countries on both sides of the Atlantic are accelerating their efforts to stave off the spread of the COVID-19 variants by speeding up vaccination and adding travel restrictions The EU intends to increase export transparency on COVID experimental vaccines produced within its boundaries; and the European Commission is going to … Continue Reading

China MOFCOM Issues First Order of 2021 – Counteracting Unjustified Extra-Territorial Applications of Foreign Laws

On Saturday 9 January 2021, the PRC Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) issued MOFCOM Order No. 1 of 2021 on Rules on Counteracting Unjustified Extra-Territorial Applications of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures (the Rules). The Rules specify that they were formulated pursuant to the PRC National Security Law for the express purpose of “counteracting the impact … Continue Reading

What are International Sanctions?

What are international sanctions? What are primary and secondary sanctions? What are extraterritorial effects and how will that impact multinational operations? The changing international sanctions regulations produce dizzying regulatory landscape, and complex as well as confusing compliance environment. To help lift the curtain a bit on this topic, Trade Practitioner José María Viñals (partner, Madrid/Brussels), also … Continue Reading

Potential EU Retaliatory Tariffs on the Horizon – Is Your Business Prepared?

On October 13, 2020 the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued its latest ruling in the long-standing Boeing-Airbus dispute, granting the EU the authority to impose compensatory tariffs totaling up to US$4 billion on US goods in response to allegedly illegal subsidies provided to Boeing.  Once again, US exporting companies find themselves in the crosshairs, as … Continue Reading

President Trump Uses Executive Power to Target Reverse Discrimination in Federal Contracting

What are the implications? What practical steps should US government contractors take? Our multidisciplinary team provides an overview of President Trump’s Executive Order 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, its labor law implications, potential for litigation, and practical guidance for federal contractors. Continue reading here.… Continue Reading

CFIUS Clearance: Empower Retirement, Great-West Lifeco, Power Corp. of Canada and Personal Capital Corporation

Status:  Clearance Acquirer:  Empower Retirement, LLC (US); Great-West Lifeco Inc. (Canada); Power Corporation of Canada (Canada) Acquired:  Personal Capital Corporation (US) Value:  US$825 million Industry:  Financial Services UPDATE: On August 17, 2020, Great-West Lifeco Inc. “completed the acquisition of 100% of the equity of Personal Capital Corporation.” (Great West Lifeco Inc., 2021 Annual Report, Mar. … Continue Reading

Considerations for Post-COVID-19 Trade in the World of New Normal

The corona pandemic, the ongoing Brexit and the emerging dominance of China in global markets are among the issues that pose multifaceted challenges for international trade relations. At a time when new Free Trade Agreements are being negotiated, we would like to examine how international trade can be shaped in the “World of New Normal” … Continue Reading

Accounting for CFIUS Regulatory Risk in Transactions Involving Property Rights at Airports and Maritime Ports

New rules went into effect on February 13, 2020, that implemented the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (FIRRMA), expanding the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the US agency that reviews foreign investments in the US for potential national security concerns. The new rules include CFIUS … Continue Reading

Does Digital Service Tax Matter To You? New Section 301 Investigation – Comment Period Now Open

On June 2, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it would be initiating new Section 301 investigations examining digital services taxes (DSTs) adopted or under consideration by Austria, Brazil, the Czech Republic, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.  USTR is requesting comments to inform their … Continue Reading

BIS Expands Export, Reexport and Transfer (In-Country) Controls for Military End Use or Military End Users in China, Russia or Venezuela

On April 28, 2020, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published in the Federal Register a Final Rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 15 CFR parts 730-774. This new rule critically expands the licensing requirements for exports, reexports and transfers (in-country) of items subject to the EAR in three … Continue Reading

Free For All, or All For One? The Medical Supply Chain and COVID-19

This post is being published for The Trade Practitioner as part of a content partnership with our Global Supply Chain Law Blog. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy needs not restating. The saying “desperate times call for desperate measures” fits the current environment well. Governments throughout the world have instituted or are considering … Continue Reading

Coronvirus COVID-19 – Are You An Essential US Business?

This post is being published for The Trade Practitioner as part of a content partnership with the Global Supply Chain Law Blog. Please contact Sarah Rathke with any questions.  This week, we anticipate that states and municipalities will likely issue a number of “stay-at-home orders” that will require the temporary closure of businesses not deemed … Continue Reading

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Economic Relief Opportunities for Small Businesses

This post is being published for The Trade Practitioner as part of content partnership with our Public Policy Practice. Please contact Jack Kingston, Jack Deschauer and Pablo Carrillo with any questions.  Congress and the Trump Administration are working to pass billions of dollars in economic relief for small businesses affected by the novel COVID-19, commonly … Continue Reading

Coronavirus and Trade – US Perspective; What Comes Next?

Updated on March 19, 2020 The coronavirus outbreak has caused severe, but widely varying disruptions across the US economy, including increased consumer demand of particular goods, reduced production due to lack of key inputs from abroad or quarantined employees, and dramatic US stock market drops responding to unprecedented levels of uncertainty. … Continue Reading

US Policy Prognosis: The Legislative Response to COVID-19

The post is being published for The Trade Practitioner as part of a content partnership with our Public Policy Practice. Please contact Edward Newberry and Robert Kapla with any questions.  With the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), commonly known as the “coronavirus” or COVID-19, lawmakers are proposing and voting on policies to aid … Continue Reading

Off to a Bumpy Start – UK Trade Negotiations With the EU and US

This blog post is being published for The Trade Practitioner as part of a content partnership with our Brexit Legal blog. Please contact Matthew Kirk with any questions. In the last week of February 2020 – amid some chest-beating ferocity on both sides – the EU and UK published their respective negotiating mandates for the … Continue Reading

Fiscal Year 2021 President’s Budget Request: Function 150 Account Highlights

On February 10, 2020, US President Donald Trump unveiled his Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Budget Request, detailing the administration’s policy and programming priorities for the coming year. The President’s proposal continues themes raised in past years, including prioritizing foreign assistance for US allies, such as those in the Indo-Pacific and African regions, and prioritizing strong … Continue Reading
LexBlog