September 17, 2025—Top Stories:
CBP Posts September COAC Meeting Agenda and Documents
CBP posted the agenda and trade recommendations for the September 17 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee. Join AAEI’s Trade Focus Committee Meeting on Thursday September 18 for an update from Dave Corn, COAC CO-Chair.
Trade Compliance for Leadership: Navigating a Shifting Global Landscape
The World Economic Forum provided a white paper, assembled in collaboration with PwC, that provides a practical guide for navigating today’s trade compliance challenges. It draws on insights from leading global companies through the World Economic Forum’s Trade Compliance Practitioners and professionals in trade compliance across the PwC network.
Japan Deal Tariff Cuts to Take Effect Sept. 16
Tariff cuts for Japanese automobiles and auto parts will take effect Sept. 16, according to a notice released by the Commerce Department.
BIS Accepting 232 Steel and Aluminum Derivatives Inclusion Requests
The Bureau of Industry and Security is again accepting requests for new products to be included under Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum derivatives, it said in a notice released late on Sept. 15. Inclusion requests will be accepted through Sept. 29, after which the agency will post the requests of inclusion it receives for comment and begin a 60-day process to consider whether to grant the inclusions.
USTR Modifies Actions in 301 China Investigations, Seeks Public Comments
In prior notices, the U.S. Trade Representative modified the
actions in the Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and
practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and
innovation by excluding from additional duties certain products of
China. There are currently 178 effective exclusions. USTR has extended
these exclusions several times, including by providing a recent 90-day
extension to further extend the exclusions through November 29, 2025.
USTR invites public comment on whether any of the 178 effective
exclusions warrant further extension beyond November 29, 2025.
Why the Supreme Court Should Reject Peter Navarro’s Tariffs ‘Roadmap’
Marc L. Busch, Karl F. Landegger Professor of International Business Diplomacy at the Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University provided an Op-Ed on the potential results of a Supreme Court IEEPA decision.
IEEPA Canada and Mexico Tariffs Are Eligible for Refunds VIA Post-Importation Claims Under USMCA
Goods subject to International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs are eligible for refunds of those tariffs via post-importation claims under USMCA, provided that importers of record can submit a valid, substantiated claim under USMCA within one year of the date of importation, according to a Sept. 10 update to CBP’s FAQ webpage on questions related to IEEPA.
Former USTR: WTO Principles Are Dead For Good
Former U.S. trade representative Michael Froman said the standards set by the World Trade Organization have been under stress for 15 years, and that its principles of global non-discrimination, bound tariff levels and restrictions on what can count as a bilateral or regional trade deal are dead for good.
“I don’t think we go back to it, no Froman said Sept. 12 at the Brookings Institution. matter who’s president,” Froman said Sept. 12 at the Brookings Institution.
Lutnick: “Big Deals” with Taiwan, Seoul, and Japan Investments Coming
The Trump administration is close to a trade deal with Taiwan, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said. “We’ve got a big deal coming with Taiwan,” Lutnick said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.” He gave no details on the terms of a potential deal. Trump hit Taiwan with a 20 percent tariff in early August, although both governments indicated at the time that negotiations over an agreement to lower the tariff rates were ongoing.
Last year, the U.S. ran a $74 billion trade deficit with Taiwan, which was the sixth largest of any trade partner. The U.S. imported $116 billion worth of goods from Taiwan, including about $12 billion of semiconductors.
Lutnick also said that administration is still waiting on South Korea to finalize the terms of its trade agreement, adding that their government missed an opportunity to finalize a joint statement when new President Lee Jae Myung recently visited the White House.
As it relates to Japan, Lutnick indicated that Japan’s pledge to fund $550 billion worth of investment in the United States could be used to bankroll an LNG pipeline project in Alaska that has struggled to get off the ground.
USTR Seeks Comments and Publishes National Trade Estimates Report on Foreign Trade Barriers
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), publishes the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report) each year. USTR invites comments to assist it and the TPSC in identifying significant foreign barriers to, or distortions of, U.S. exports of goods and services and U.S. foreign direct investment for inclusion in the NTE Report.
Trump Extends TikTok Ban
President Donald Trump on Tuesday further extended a potential ban of TikTok until Dec. 16 amid news his administration reached the “framework” for a deal.
House Backs Reporting Requirements for Dual-Use Exports to China
The House of Representatives passed legislation Sept. 9 that could lead to greater scrutiny of dual-use exports to China. Offered by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., the measure would require a report on the types and number of American dual-use technologies that Chinese Communist Party-linked entities have acquired over the past five years. The report also would have to describe the main methods of acquisition and recommend ways to better protect against the foreign acquisition of dual-use items. The House agreed to the proposal as part of a block of amendments to the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The House approved the amendments package by voice vote.
Industry Insight:
Ultimate Consignee Requirements Clarified in Latest Census Bureau Notice
A new U.S. Census Bureau Federal Register Notice (FRN) raises the stakes for exporters: misidentifying your ultimate consignee can lead to penalties, delays, and enforcement actions. Michael Ford of TradeBridge Consulting shares how to apply the “knowledge at time of export” standard, distinguish between buyers and end users, and protect your company from costly errors.
