The president of Mexico has introduced a bill increasing tariffs on goods from countries with which it does not have a free trade agreement, including China. The measure would bring most tariffs to a rate of 35%, with some as high as 50%.
The Census Bureau is seeking public comments by Nov. 10 on an information collection involving the Automated Export System, it said in a notice released this week. The agency also said it's working on a separate rule that would help it record the country of origin for exports of foreign-produced goods (see 2508130022, 2203160026, 2301230008, 2309130002 and 2403270056). In addition, it's working on a "future rule" to address "the duplicative nature of the State of Origin data element," an issue that has been raised by Census officials and trade groups for at least two years (see 2310310053 and 2310240069).
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will again renew relaxed export restrictions for certain defense goods and services involving Cyprus, it said in a final rule released this week and effective Oct. 1. The agency has issued the renewal each year since 2020 (see 2309130028), suspending its policy of denial for exports, reexports and transfers of defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List to Cyprus. The move also suspends the policy of denial for retransfers and temporary imports destined for or originating in Cyprus and brokering activities involving Cyprus. The latest renewal expires Sept. 30, 2026.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week removed sanctions on Belarusian national Iryna Litviniuk, which were imposed in 2022 for "exploiting" the Guatemalan mining sector, and Musbah Mohamad M Wadi, who was sanctioned in 2020 for his ties to a network of smugglers "contributing to instability" in Libya. OFAC had originally added Litviniuk to the Specially Designated Nationals List under its Global Magnitsky sanctions regulations, and it added Wadi under its Libya sanctions. The agency didn't provide more information about the delistings.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned a network of shipping companies and vessels for smuggling and selling Iranian oil by disguising it as Iraqi oil. The network blends the two oils and markets the product internationally as “solely of Iraqi origin to avoid sanctions,” OFAC said.
Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, both welcomed the Aug. 28 release of a rule from the Bureau of Industry and Security easing licensing requirements for civilian exports to Syria (see 2508280029).
The Bureau of Industry and Security is removing Chinese affiliates of Samsung and SK hynix from its Validated End-User List, making them ineligible for a general authorization that had allowed them to receive certain controlled technology for their Chinese factories.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will ease export controls on Syria Sept. 2 by creating a new license exception for the country, making it eligible for a broader set of existing exceptions and revising current BIS license review policies for Syria to “be more favorable.”
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China requested dispute consultations at the World Trade Organization regarding Canada's tariff rate quotas on certain steel goods from non-free trade agreement partners, including China, and Canada's surtax on certain steel and aluminum goods that contain China-origin steel or aluminum.