News & Publications - Braumiller Law Group

Summary of the Findings of the USTR Four-Year Review of Actions Taken in the Section 301 Investigation

By: James R. Holbein, Of Counsel and Brandon French, Senior Associate Attorney

On May 14, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its Final Report relating to the four-year review of actions taken in the Section 301 investigation. Within the Report, the USTR confirmed that it intends to take actions to raise tariffs on specific products as a result of the comprehensive review.

Australia and United Kingdom License Exemptions on the Way!

By Bruce Leeds, Senior Counsel, Braumiller Law Group

Canada has long enjoyed International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) license exemptions and minimal controls for items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). What about some of our other friends, such as Australia and United Kingdom? There are ITAR license exemptions for these countries in Parts 126.16 and 126.17 of the ITAR.

USTR Extends Certain Section 301 Exclusions for One Year – Is Your Exclusion Still Valid?

By: Brandon French, Senior Associate, Braumiller Law Group

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) recently released a list of Section 301 exclusions that would be extended through May 31, 2025. Within the Notice, the USTR explained that extending these exclusions will support efforts to shift sourcing out of China, or provide additional time where, despite efforts to source products from alternative sources, availability of the product outside of China remains limited.

Overcoming Obstacles: Challenges Faced by China’s FDI in Mexico

By: Kerry Wang, Senior Associate, Braumiller Law Group

China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico has seen substantial growth in recent years, reflecting a strategic alignment with global economic shifts and regional trade dynamics. This trend positions China as one of the fastest-growing sources of foreign investment in Mexico, with the majority of investments flowing into the manufacturing sector.

Recent Developments in Digital Assets Policy

By: James R. Holbein, Of Counsel and Justin Holbein

Digital assets, including blockchain and cryptocurrency protocols and companies, have been in a defensive posture for much of 2022, 2023 and 2024. The collapse of crypto exchange FTX and numerous enforcement actions taken by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have forced the sector to retrench and upgrade their abilities to meet the higher standards of securities laws.

Foreign Direct Investment Trends in 2024

By: Victoria Holmes, Braumiller Law Group
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a driving force behind global economic growth and development, acting as a lifeline of funding for nations around the world. Imagine a company from one corner of the globe setting up shop or acquiring a business in another – that’s FDI in action.

机遇与挑战：中国企业赴墨西哥投资

作者：王烨，资深律师， Braumiller 律师事务所

中国在墨西哥的外国直接投资 (FDI) 近年来显着增长，这反映了中国与全球经济格局转变和区域贸易动态的战略性协调。这一趋势使中国成为墨西哥增长最快的外国投资来源国之一，其中大部分投资流向制造业。

Braumiller Law Group Attorneys and Braumiller Consulting Group Trade Advisors

We have written international trade related articles (every other month) that have consistently trended each year in the top 20 in North America under the heading of Trade & Investment

Forced Labor Questionnaires: Another Helpful Hint

By: Adrienne Braumiller, Partner & Founder and Gavin Andersen, Trade Advisor

In February 2024, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began taking a new approach to Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) enforcement—questionnaires. Once again, the solar industry is among the first targets, vanguards among importers, hacking their way through new regulatory growth, hopefully exposing a clear way through for all who follow. Active enforcement mechanisms like questionnaires—and the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) itself—are still evolving.

BIS Updates Freight Forwarder Guidance And Best Practices

By: Adrienne Braumiller, Founder of Braumiller Law Group

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has recently published a guidance document on its new website aimed at helping freight forwarders and exporters uphold compliance with U.S. export controls and regulatory requirements. The document emphasizes the significant role that freight forwarders play in securing the global supply chain and preventing the proliferation of illegal exports.

Maximizing Duty Savings Series –Section 321 Duty Exemptions or De Minimis Exemptions

By: Kerry Wang, Senior Associate, Braumiller Law Group

Welcome to the second installment in our series on duty-saving strategies. After discussing the utilization of Foreign Trade Zones and Bonded Warehouses in our previous article, we now turn to Section 321, a topic of significant importance and, as you’ll see, considerable debate.

De Minimis An Ever-Growing Problem of De Maximus Proportion

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

De minimis is a term that refers to a threshold below which certain goods are exempt from import duties or taxes. However, in the landscape of international trade, it has become a contentious issue for the United States. Those “bad actors”, and even some, not so bad, but willing to take advantage of a loophole have found a way around the tariffs. This so-called loophole of allowing goods with a fair retail value of $800 or less to enter the U.S. without paying an import tariff has become a monster that Customs needs to find a way to deal with conclusively.

The Importance of Pedimento Codes for the IMMEX Customs Regime

By: Brenda Cordova, Mexico Attorney, Braumiller Law Group

In Mexico, a customs regime is the destination or treatment for goods subject to customs control in accordance with the nature and purposes of a customs operation. Companies with an IMMEX program may perform operations under the so-called customs regime of “temporary importation for elaboration, transformation or repair under a maquila program”. This name by itself implies several facts to consider.

The Unsung Hero of Trade: Why CTPAT Matters

By: Judy Davis, Braumiller Consulting Group
In the ever-changing world of trade, where predicting the future is a constant challenge, looking back at the past decade offers valuable insights into the evolution of the supply chain and the tools that have developed to contribute to efficiency and security.

Evolving Legal Norms for Artificial Intelligence in the European Union and the United States

By: James R. Holbein, Of Counsel and Justin Holbein

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic for the last 2-3 years for politicians, technologists, and many people in civil societies globally. The use of the technology has obvious benefits for increasing productivity and value produced by businesses and organizations, along with dangers from misuse, such as deep fake propaganda and serious security risks. Two recent efforts to develop legislation addressing AI technology offer an opportunity to compare and contrast the differing approaches in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US).