Responding to a plywood importer’s motion for rehearing, the U.S. Dec. 12 denied that it had suppressed evidence in “flagrant violation” of a remand order, saying the importer, InterGlobal Forest, had no basis for seeking a rehearing of its case (American Pacific Plywood v. United States, CIT Consol. # 20-03914).
The Court of International Trade on Dec. 12 denied the government's motion for reconsideration of the trade court's previous decision to vacate CBP's finding that Dominican exporter Kingtom Aluminio made its aluminum extrusions with forced labor. Although Judge Timothy Reif said he made a mistake of fact in the initial decision, the mistake was a "harmless error," and that no mistake of law was made.
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CBP's regulations regarding the notice provided to importers subject to Enforce and Protect Act investigations and when CBP must initiate those investigations violated an importer's due process rights, the Court of International Trade held on Nov. 26.
The Court of International Trade on Nov. 26 found provisions of CBP's Enforce and Protect Act regulations violate importers' due process rights. Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves said a provision which requires notice to the importer no later than five business days after day 90 of an EAPA investigation doesn't give the importer a "procedural due process right to notice" and a "meaningful opportunity to be heard" prior to the imposition of interim measures. She also found CBP erred in taking more than 15 days to open an investigation after receiving an allegation. Instead of vacating the investigation, however, the judge ordered CBP to "rescind the interim and final enforcement measures imposed on quartz countertop products imported by" Superior water Sept. 29, 2022, the date on which the court said CBP was required to start its investigation.
Dominican aluminum extrusions exporter Kingtom Aluminio, which faces a CBP forced labor finding, defended Oct. 31 the Court of International Trade’s decision to vacate the finding pending the conclusion of litigation. It declared that “[i]ts very survival is in jeopardy” due to the finding (Kingtom Aluminio v. United States, CIT # 24-00264).
The U.S. asked the Court of International Trade on Oct. 23 to reconsider a temporary stay of a CBP forced labor finding regarding a Dominican aluminum extrusions exporter (Kingtom Aluminio v. United States, CIT # 24-00264).
The Court of International Trade upheld CBP's determination, made on remand, that importer Scioto Valley Woodworking, Inc., evaded the antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders on wooden cabinets and vanities from China. In a decision made public Oct. 9, Judge Lisa Wang rejected Scioto's claim that CBP can only make an affirmative evasion finding if it finds the importer to actually have imported covered merchandise through evasion, and the judge found the evasion determination to be supported by substantial evidence.
The U.S. opened a customs penalty suit last week against wire garment hanger importer LGA Trading and its director, Galo Goya, at the Court of International Trade, seeking over $3.1 million as a penalty for negligence and over $1.9 million in unpaid duties (United States v. LGA Trading, CIT # 25-00214).
Trade Law Daily is providing readers with the top stories from last week, in case you missed them. All articles can be found by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.