(Customs & International Trade Law)—Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade news:
Administration
President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Commerce Department to investigate whether imports of processed critical minerals and their derivative products threaten to impair national security.
President Trump issued a Presidential Memo stating that certain electronics are exempt from reciprocal tariffs, including smartphones, laptop computers, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and memory chips.
President Trump said he and his key advisors are set to meet with a top Japanese official to begin trade negotiations.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
CBP released its March 2025 monthly update. Highlights:
Identified duties of nearly $15 billion to be collected
Stopped 434 shipments on suspicion of forced labor
Successfully implemented 13 tariff-related presidential actions
CBP issued updated guidance for reciprocal tariff exclusions for specified products.
CBP said during a webinar that the agency will start enforcing regulations requiring retail pharmacies to disclose the country of origin on the bottles of prescription medication meant for private individuals.
CBP stopped over 70 shipments of counterfeit Human Growth Hormones and other dangerous chemicals.
Bureau of Industry and Security
BIS issued a Federal Register notice requesting comment on the Section 232 national security investigation of imports of semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Comments are due May 7, 2025.
BIS issued a Federal Register notice requesting comments on the Section 232 national security investigation of Imports of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients.
Department of Commerce
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik said that the tariff exemption for electronics will be temporary.
The Commerce Department announced it will be withdrawing from an agreement suspending an antidumping duty investigation on Mexican-origin fresh tomatoes and issuing an antidumping duty order on the produce.
Court of International Trade (CIT)
The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit on behalf of five importers to challenge President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will impose an additional safeguard duty on certain sugars, syrups, and molasses that fall under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. The duty will apply to articles containing over 65% by dry weight of sugars that have exceeded the trigger level of 1,252 metric tons.
Congress
Representative Gray of California introduced the Stop Raising Prices on Food Act, which would limit the president’s authority to impose new or additional duties on articles from countries that are major agricultural trade partners with the U.S.
Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee introduced the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act, which would terminate certain import tariffs, including reciprocal tariffs and the tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
Industry News
California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s authority to impose tariffs.
The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said that global economic growth could slow to 2.3% as trade tensions and uncertainty drive a recessionary trend.