In a move that has shifted global attention back to tariffs, U.S. President Donald Trump recently proposed a flat tariff increase on all imports from several countries, including 30% on South African exports to the U.S.. These U.S. actions were reported on our blog earlier this week here and here. This blog post focuses on the South African government’s response. A Rebuttal President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly opposed the tariffs, describing them as “unilateral” and based on a…
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued its bi-annual update to its trade verification priorities this week. These priorities provide notice to Canadian importers of the goods and customs programs which will be targeted by CBSA’s compliance crosshairs throughout the remainder of 2025. Several goods remain subject to the CBSA’s 2025 trade verification priorities for their 2nd, 3rd and 4th round. While the verification priorities under tariff classification and origin announced in January remain static, the CBSA has not…
On July 9, President Trump took to social media to announce updated tariffs targeting eight countries, which will come into effect on August 1. The news follows the announcement two days earlier of revised tariffs against 14 countries and the extension of the postponement of country-specific reciprocal tariffs, until August 1. The revised tariff rates range from 20% to 50%. As with the previously announced duties, the updated rates include hikes for some countries as…
In a move that could significantly reshape transatlantic commerce, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14309 on June 16, 2025, enacting key provisions of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. This agreement, unveiled at the G7 summit in Canada, aims to ease trade tensions and foster deeper economic cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States. The order was published that same day in the Federal Register and its provisions went into effect on June…
On July 2, 2025, President Trump announced on a social media post that the United States had entered a trade agreement with Vietnam. According to the post, the agreement will provide for the importation of US products into Vietnam free of tariffs. In exchange, Vietnamese imports will be assessed a 20% duty. Additionally, a 40% tariff will apply to transhipments—i.e., goods originating from third countries shipped to the US via Vietnamese ports. Background Vietnam was…
On June 17, the plaintiff-appellees in Learning Resources, Inc., et al v. Donald Trump, et al petitioned the Supreme Court of the United States for certiorari, asking the Court to consider the lawfulness of tariffs President Trump imposed under the putative authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). With the appeal currently pending before the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit), the petition takes the uncommon step of…
In early May 2025, President Donald Trump proposed a new tariff policy targeting foreign-made films. In a post on his social media platform, President Trump announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States and imported for American audiences. The move, he said, is necessary to protect American jobs and the domestic film industry, which he said is being undercut by foreign governments offering generous production incentives to lure…
On 15 May 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) has delivered a judgment in the ‘Tauritus’ case, offering crucial guidance on how to determine the customs value of imported products when their final price is not fixed at the time of importation but is subject to a provisional pricing arrangement. The ruling provides important considerations and clarification for businesses engaged in transactions with such pricing mechanisms. The judgement can be found via…
On April 17, 2025, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a final notice of action in its investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 of China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for abusive and discriminatory practices associated with their sector dominance. In addition to introducing new fees and restrictions on Chinese-built, -owned, and -operated vessels, the notice of action also introduces new requirements on liquified natural gas (LNG) tankers and proposes…
On 24 April 2025, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and HM Treasury published draft primary legislation and an associated technical consultation on the introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). The draft CBAM legislation follows a prior public consultation on the UK Government’s initial proposals for a CBAM which concluded in June 2024. CBAM forms part of the UK government’s wider strategy to tackle carbon leakage. To achieve this it will impose a carbon price…