A court decision last week highlights the limits Congress placed on presidential authority under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. In PrimeSource Building Products v. United States (decided April 5), the Court of International Trade ruled that presidential Proclamation 9980 (issued Jan. 24, 2020), imposing tariffs on certain steel and aluminum “derivative products” was […]
Every so often there are ideas (but rarely new ones) to “reform” international trade laws. Mostly, the interests that have the ear of Congress (domestic producers of steel, for example, and organized labor) put forward their ideas. Less often, interests that employ more Americans in manufacturing put theirs forward. The two sides of the divide […]
Every so often there are ideas (but rarely new ones) to “reform” international trade laws. Mostly, the interests that have the ear of Congress (domestic producers of steel, for example, and organized labor) put forward their ideas. Less often, interests that employ more Americans in manufacturing put theirs forward. The two sides of the divide […]
In December 2020, Congress passed a massive spending bill, which is the way appropriations have been done in Washington for the last 20 years or so. One new provision with international implications is the requirement for the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to prepare an annual threat assessment report. This new report, issued recently by […]
As many countries and trading blocs like the EU focus on keeping production “at home” to prevent shortages in emergencies, America is joining in. “Buy America” as a slogan and a policy has been around for many years in many forms. But the allure of Buy America runs into practical problems; and that dilemma has […]
The right to profit from invention has been protected since the inception of the country. Just look at the Constitution. But for just as long it has been controversial. A few days ago the Biden administration reversed the long-held position of the U.S. course and announced its support for waivers of patent rights and other […]
Many of you may have sat, like me, in a line to get gasoline this week. It brought back memories of the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 and the Iranian boycott of 1979. This time, a gasoline pipeline supplying about half of that product to the eastern United States was closed, allegedly due to a […]
Count me as an optimist—that events move, sporadically and inconsistently, but generally toward progress. I received a lot of messages during the past week that wondered openly whether talks between the United States and the European Union might lead to an end to the steel and aluminum tariffs that have been in effect since 2018. […]
Count me as an optimist—that events move, sporadically and inconsistently, but generally toward progress. I received a lot of messages during the past week that wondered openly whether talks between the United States and the European Union might lead to an end to the steel and aluminum tariffs that have been in effect since 2018. […]
Two phenomena that we have not seen in a long time have recently appeared. Whether they are short-term events or long-term realities is provoking debate. I am speaking of the distinct but related issues of inflation and shortages of, it seems, nearly everything. Inflation was a major factor in the U.S. economy throughout the 1970s. […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: The transition to a new administration is now strongly under way. Tomorrow, the president-elect is set to name additional members of his economic team, including the roster of international trade officials. The time for speculation is over since […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: It’s nearing the end of the year—in this particular year, it’s hard to be sorry that we’ll soon turn the page—and time for some reflections. I read and study a lot of history and I find it helps […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: As the 2020 election approaches its final chapters, the legal system has been front-page news. No less important is the rule of law in international trade matters. The Trump campaign and its allies have approached the courts to […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: At the end of 2020, rather than looking back I’d like to look forward. Anyone care to join me? We can anticipate some major changes in government and the economy. The Biden-Harris administration takes over in exactly one […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: Exchange rates make international transactions possible. If a trading partner (let’s call them Country X) could keep its exchange rate abnormally low against the U.S. dollar, its exports to the U.S. would be more competitive and sales would […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: The steel tariffs were in the news recently with the announcement of a settlement of a lawsuit brought to challenge denials of exclusion requests. This is the third case, by my unofficial count, that has been settled in […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: This campaign, like all others, is about many issues. The economy, though, is clearly the most powerful message of the Trump campaign. Over the last century or so, where does the Trump economy rank? There are many different […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: This campaign, like all others, is about many issues. The economy, though, is clearly the most powerful message of the Trump campaign. Over the last century or so, where does the Trump economy rank? There are many different […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: The turmoil in this country continues. The election is now 30 days away. The president has COVID-19; the debates may not continue. And, our economy continues to suffer from the pandemic and the economic impact of disease and […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: Each week seems to bring new surprises, economically and politically. I was struck by the monthly trade report and question from readers—I thought I’d pull them together and try to respond. The August trade report was released last […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: Tariffs are coming at us from every direction, it seems like. Tariffs are taxes, as we hear a lot. Some taxes are predictable, but those on China, steel, aluminum, washing machines and solar panels tend to be vastly […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: The election may already have been decided, but we can’t know that until election night and perhaps not even then. While we wait for those results, I want to take the time to explore a reader’s question I’ve […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: We now know, or at least think we know, who will be president next Jan. 20. Congratulations to Joe Biden. Formalities and lawful procedures still must be maintained. Disputes over allegedly invalid ballots, late arriving ballots, etc. will […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: For international trade and politics, it’s hard to beat the past week. We saw numerous developments in the trade field—I’ll discuss a few of them: (1) an avalanche of lawsuits challenging the “Section 301” tariffs against $200 billion […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: New regulations published Sept. 11 in the Federal Register require steel importers to know and reveal the country where steel was “melted and poured” no matter how much the steel was processed thereafter. Steel importers have long been […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: I hope everyone had a restful and safe Labor Day weekend. Mine lasted a bit longer than it might. I’m back in the saddle, observing the international trade scene and also playing a small part in it. Things are, to put […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: I hope everyone had a restful and safe Labor Day weekend. Mine lasted a bit longer than it might. I’m back in the saddle, observing the international trade scene and also playing a small part in it. Things are, to put […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: A number of readers have asked for particulars on the recent actions on steel trade between the United States, Brazil and Mexico. The numbers are available in some detail now. I will try to explain these for the […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: Time was we looked with great interest at the deliberations of the party platform committees to see who was the most influential—young vs. old, moderates vs. conservatives vs. progressives, etc. In this year of the pandemic, the entire […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: The nation and the world saw a greater than normal number of presidential announcements in the past week. I debated Philip Bell, the president of the Steel Manufacturers Association, on issues related to Section 232 at the SMU […]