All articles tagged with #ustr
USTR has opened a Section 301 investigation into Vietnam’s IP protection and enforcement after designating Vietnam a Priority Foreign Country in the 2026 Special 301 Report; the probe will evaluate whether Vietnam’s IP practices burden U.S. commerce and could lead to responsive actions after the review.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Trump’s top tariff strategist, is trying to turn the administration’s tariff agenda into a legally durable regime by shifting from IEEPA powers to Section 301 and related tools, including a short-term 10% tariff under Section 122 and a longer-term framework. He’s spearheaded 96 investigations and secured nine reciprocal deals, but Supreme Court limits and voter anxiety over prices complicate a path to lasting tariffs. Greer’s rising influence suggests the White House seeks tariffs that endure beyond this term, even as Republicans and the public debate their cost.
The USTR’s 2026 Special 301 Report designates Vietnam as a Priority Foreign Country for IP protection and enforcement, moves Argentina and Mexico to the Watch List, adds the European Union to the Watch List, and removes Bulgaria from the Watch List. Six countries remain on the Priority Watch List and 19 are on the Watch List. USTR will decide within 30 days whether to launch a Section 301 investigation against Vietnam, following public submissions and a hearing with government, industry, and NGO representatives.
The U.S. Trade Representative has initiated 60 Section 301(b) investigations to determine whether 60 economies failed to prohibit or effectively enforce bans on goods made with forced labor, assessing if their acts are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden U.S. commerce. USTR will seek consultations, hold hearings on April 28, 2026, and accept written comments by April 15, 2026. The economies under review include major partners such as Canada, the European Union, China, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Vietnam, among others.
The U.S. is launching 16 new Section 301 investigations into partners including China, the EU, and others to scrutinize perceived unfair practices and potential duties, after a Supreme Court ruling blocked earlier reciprocal tariffs; the probes could lead to new tariffs or other concessions, with public hearings starting May 5 as Washington seeks leverage to reindustrialize and reshape supply chains.
The Trump administration announced a new wave of Section 301 investigations into more than a dozen U.S. trading partners—including the EU, Mexico and China—to surface unfair practices and potentially trigger fresh tariffs, with a separate probe into goods made with forced labor to follow. The moves come as a 10% blanket tariff remains in place after a Supreme Court ruling limited country-specific duties, and officials say they aim to complete the investigations within the 150-day window tied to the current tariff, though the impact on existing deals with partners remains unclear.
The U.S. Trade Representative has launched a Section 301 investigation into China's implementation of the Phase One Agreement, focusing on whether China has fulfilled its commitments and the impact on U.S. interests, with public comments and a hearing scheduled for December 2025.
The U.S. Trade Representative has extended certain exclusions from China Section 301 tariffs until August 31, 2025, originally set to expire on May 31, 2025, related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation.