Search Results for agency_names:"Trade Representative, Office of United States"

The Office of the United States Trade Representative has announced the determination of trade surpluses for various countries related to sugar and syrup goods and products. These countries include Chile, Morocco, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Colombia, and Panama. The trade surplus levels affect how much of these products can enter the United States duty-free under different trade agreements. For some countries, like Chile and Morocco, their negative trade surpluses mean they do not qualify for duty-free treatment, while others like Guatemala and Colombia have positive surpluses allowing a limited amount to enter tariff-free.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has decided that Italy's Digital Services Tax (DST) is unfair and targets U.S. companies negatively, making it eligible for action under Section 301 of the Trade Act. The tax affects businesses that earn a significant amount of revenue from digital services in Italy, and the USTR believes it unfairly discriminates against U.S. digital companies and is inconsistent with international tax principles. Over 380 comments were submitted during the investigation, and further proceedings will determine what actions to take.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced that the United Kingdom (UK) can continue exporting under the U.S. tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) designated for European Union (EU) member countries in 2021. This decision comes after the UK's departure from the EU, which was finalized on December 31, 2020. These quotas, described in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, specifically include certain quotas for dairy products. The U.S. Trade Representative can adjust these quotas, and the UK is allowed to designate importers for cheese and other products as it has in previous years.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has decided to indefinitely suspend additional duties on French products that were set to begin on January 6, 2021, in response to France's Digital Services Tax (DST). This decision comes as investigations into similar taxes in other countries continue, with the aim of allowing more time for discussion and potential resolution. The suspension reflects ongoing consideration of public comments and the advice of advisory committees. The USTR will keep monitoring developments in both the France DST investigation and other related investigations.

The U.S. Trade Representative has concluded that Vietnam's actions and policies related to currency valuation are problematic for U.S. commerce. They determined that Vietnam's management of its currency, particularly through excessive foreign exchange market interventions, gives it an unfair advantage in international trade. These practices were found to be unreasonable, burden or restrict U.S. trade, and therefore can be addressed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The U.S. is considering further actions to address these issues.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative has determined that Austria's Digital Services Tax (DST) is unfair or discriminatory towards U.S. companies and negatively impacts U.S. commerce. The DST applies a 5% tax on certain large companies' digital advertising revenues within Austria. The U.S. Trade Representative found that the tax discriminates against American digital companies and contradicts principles of international taxation. As a result, they plan to take further actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act to address these issues.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) determined that the United Kingdom's Digital Services Tax (DST) is unreasonable and discriminatory towards U.S. digital companies. The tax targets certain online services and has revenue thresholds that disadvantage U.S. businesses, while also conflicting with international tax principles by applying to revenue instead of income. This tax is seen as an unreasonable burden on U.S. commerce, and further proceedings will decide what actions, if any, the U.S. will take in response.

In a recent notice, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced changes to actions related to a Section 301 investigation concerning China's technology transfer and intellectual property practices. These changes include raising tariffs on certain tungsten, polysilicon, and wafer products from China starting January 1, 2025. The new tariffs, part of President's instructions to encourage China to change its practices, will be 25% for tungsten products and 50% for polysilicon and wafers. This decision considers public feedback, which highlights the potential benefits and risks of these tariff increases.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has determined that China's efforts to dominate the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors have been found to be unreasonable and negatively impact U.S. commerce, making it actionable under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The USTR's investigation revealed that China implements aggressive policies and industrial planning to gain a significant market share in these sectors, which disadvantages U.S. companies by reducing competition and creating dependencies that pose economic security risks. Public comments and a report underscore that these actions undercut U.S. business opportunities and investments, and restrict competition and choice, affecting vital supply chains. Future proceedings will decide on actions to counter China's practices under section 301(b).

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has decided that Turkey's Digital Services Tax (DST) is unfair and discriminates against U.S. businesses, causing problems for U.S. trade. The tax targets companies based on digital services and revenue criteria, disadvantaging American companies. This conclusion came after an investigation and consultations with Turkey, during which public opinions and expert advice were considered. The USTR plans to take further actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act in response to these findings.