Cameroon formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Dec. 16, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 88. The WTO needs 23 more to reach the two-thirds of the membership threshold for the agreement to take effect.
The Council of the European Union announced a new prohibition on the recognition or enforcement of rulings from Russian courts, it announced as part of its most recent sanctions package on Russia this week. The move was based on Article 248 of the Arbitration Procedure Code of the Russian Federation and notes that rulings from Russian courts have prevented opposing parties from starting or continuing proceedings in jurisdictions other than Russia "in clear violation of established international principles and practices."
A Canadian resident convicted of trafficking in counterfeit goods was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison and ordered to pay $4.8 million in restitution, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York announced.
Trade Court Rejects US Steel's Requests to Redact Parts of Decision on Section 232 Exclusion Denials
The Court of International Trade rejected U.S. Steel Corp.'s bid to redact portions of the court's recent decision remanding 31 Section 232 exclusion requests. Judge M. Miller Baker said a showing of good cause alone isn't enough to shield discovery materials after they have been introduced at trial or submitted "in connection with dispositive motions," noting the need for transparency in the judicial system and presumption of public access to court proceedings.
The Commerce Department failed to consider whether U.S. Steel Corp. had the capacity to fill the aggregate of importer California Steel Industries' Section 232 steel tariff exclusion requests as opposed to just assessing whether U.S. Steel could fill all of them individually, the Court of International Trade held on Nov. 13. Judge M. Miller Baker added that Commerce didn't address its concession that it couldn't timely supply more slab than contracted for with California Steel.
In light of speculation about whether President-elect Donald Trump will use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada, observers are revisiting the lone decision in the history of U.S. case law reviewing emergency trade action: U.S. v. Yoshida International.
Two international trade attorneys at Wiley were elevated to partner, the firm announced Dec. 11: Elizabeth Lee, former associate in the international trade practice, and Enbar Toledano, former of counsel in the litigation practice. Lee covers trade remedy proceedings, while Toledano litigates appeals of administrative trade decisions, among other things. Their new status is effective Jan. 1.
The U.S. warned World Trade Organization members this week against adjudicating national security matters, saying in a communication that they should instead bring a "non-violation claim" that would allow for the rebalancing of trade concessions and avoid "dragging" members into debates over political issues.
The following lawsuits were recently filed at the Court of International Trade:
The Commerce Department erred in finding that respondent Habich and its U.S. sales agent aren't affiliated, as well as in its calculations of Habich's normal value based on its third-country sales to Mexico, petitioner Lumimove, doing business as WPC Technologies, argued. Filing a motion for judgment at the Court of International Trade on Dec. 5, WPC said Commerce's failure to further investigate the alleged affiliation between Habich and its U.S. sales agent amounted to a "dereliction of duty" (Lumimove, Inc., d/b/a WPC Technologies v. U.S., CIT # 24-00105).