Office of the United States Trade Representative October 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to delegated authority, the U.S. Trade Representative is requiring the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration (SBA Advocacy) to delay submission of the report to Congress on the economic impacts on small businesses of the United States-Kenya trade agreement until negotiations conclude.

The U.S. Trade Representative is initiating an investigation regarding Vietnam's acts, policies, and practices related to the valuation of its currency. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) seeks comments regarding the investigation.

On August 20, 2019, at the direction of the President, the U.S. Trade Representative determined to modify the action being taken in the Section 301 investigation of China's acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation by imposing additional duties of 10 percent ad valorem on goods of China with an annual trade value of approximately $300 billion. The additional duties on products in List 1, which is set out in Annex A of that action, became effective on September 1, 2019. On August 30, 2019, at the direction of the President, the U.S. Trade Representative determined to increase the rate of the additional duty applicable to the tariff subheadings covered by the action announced in the August 20 notice from 10 to 15 percent. On January 22, 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative determined to reduce the rate from 15 to 7.5 percent. The U.S. Trade Representative initiated a product exclusion process in October 2019, and has granted eight sets of exclusions under the $300 billion action. On June 26, July 17, and August 11, 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative invited the public to comment on whether to extend particular granted exclusions. On September 2, 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative announced a determination to extend certain previously granted exclusions. This notice announces the U.S. Trade Representative's determination to make one technical amendment to a previously granted exclusion extension.

In September 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative imposed additional duties on goods of China with an annual trade value of approximately $200 billion as part of the action in the Section 301 investigation of China's acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. The U.S. Trade Representative initiated a product exclusion process in June 24, 2019, and has granted 16 sets of exclusions under the $200 billion action. These exclusions expired on August 7, 2020. This notice announces the U.S. Trade Representative's determination to make one technical amendment to a previously announced exclusion.

Effective July 6, 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative imposed additional duties on goods of China with an annual trade value of approximately $34 billion as part of the action in the Section 301 investigation of China's acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. The U.S. Trade Representative initiated an exclusion process in July 2018 and has granted 10 sets of exclusions under the $34 billion action. He published the eighth set of exclusions in October 2019 and additional exclusions in December 2019 and February 2020. These exclusions will expire on October 2, 2020. On August 3, 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative established a process for the public to comment on whether to extend particular exclusions for up to 12 months. This notice announces the U.S. Trade Representative's determination to extend certain exclusions through December 31, 2020.

The U.S. Trade Representative is making technical corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), as set forth in the Annex to this notice.