Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade news: 

Administration 

  • President Trump withdrew his threat of tariffs on European allies over Greenland, citing a productive meeting with the Secretary General of NATO. 
  • In his speech at Davos, President Trump briefly touched on trade, mentioning the tariffs he imposed on Switzerland. 
  • In a speech at the White House, President Trump reiterated the Administration’s position that if the Supreme Court rules against them in the IEEPA case, they will use another tool to impose tariffs. The President suggested licenses as a possible alternative. 
  • Speaking to reporters, President Trump threatened a 200% tariff on French goods if French President Macron does not join Trump’s Board of Peace. The Board is expected to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

  • CBP released new data on UFLPA enforcement. In FY26 Q1 (Oct – Dec 2025), CBP flagged 721 shipments, valued at $69.16 million, for potential violations. 
  • CBP launched its new Forced Labor Portal. All review requests for shipments detained or excluded for forced labor enforcement must now be submitted through the portal. 
  • CBP published a Federal Register notice stating that the quarterly IRS interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts and refunds of customs duties will remain the same in the calendar quarter that begins Jan 1. The interest rates for underpayments will be 7%. The interest rate for overpayments will be 7% for non-corporations and 6% for corporations. 
  • CBP said in a CSMS message that it has updated the ACE Certification environment to enhance duty calculation validation. The enhancement will be added to the ACE Production environment next month. 

Department of Commerce (DOC) 

  • The Department of Commerce released a list of first year accomplishments under Secretary Lutnick. The release highlights record tariff revenue and 20 landmark trade deals totaling over $9.94 trillion in U.S. investment. 

Department of Justice (DOJ) 

  • A man from Delhi, India, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for conspiring with others to export controlled aviation components to end users in Russia, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act.  

Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 

  • OFAC released its Quarterly Report of Licensing Activities covering activities undertaken by the agency under Section 906(a)(1) of the TSRA from July through September 2025.  

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

  • The FDA issued a Request for Information seeking data that will help the agency improve gluten ingredient disclosure in foods. Comments are due March 23, 2026. 

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) 

  • The latest FY 2026 appropriations bill includes text that would fully fund the $40 million budget request for the FMC. 
  • A complaint filed with the FMC accuses three companies of refusing to release $1 million worth of household goods that were shipped to the U.S. due to a payment dispute. 

Congress 

  • A group of bipartisan House Representatives reintroduced the Defending American Property Abroad Act. The new version of the bill would give the President exclusive power to designate “prohibited” ports and terminals located in foreign countries. 
  • The Congressional Steel Caucus held a “State of Steel” hearing during which witnesses advocated for strong 232 measures to protect domestic production.  
  • The House and Senate approved $2M in funding for the Trade Fraud Task Force within the Department of Justice. The funding was included in a spending package that is expected to be signed by the President soon.  
  • Ten Senators sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), asking the agency to use import-restriction authorities to stop the import of illegally harvested red snapper. 
  • The African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Haitian trade program will be renewed for one year. Refunds still will be available for duties paid on eligible goods under AGOA or Haiti HELP from Oct. 1. The tariff breaks will last through Dec. 31, 2026. 

Industry News 

  • Supply chain technology company Exiger launched an artificial intelligence tool to help detect suppliers’ exposure to state-sponsored forced labor. 
Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint