On July 22, US President Donald Trump announced via his social media account that the United States and the Philippines have concluded a trade agreement. According to the announcement, Filipino imports to the U.S. will be subject to a 19% duty. In return, the announcement states, “The Philippines is going [open market] with the United States, and [zero] Tariffs.” In a subsequent press conference, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos of the Philippines suggested that tariff-free market…
On July 22, President Trump announced that the U.S. had struck a trade agreement with Japan. The announcement calls for a 15% tariff on Japanese goods imported into the U.S. In return, Japan will “open their Country to Trade including Cars and Trucks, Rice and certain other Agricultural Products, and other things.” Under President Trump’s reciprocal tariff package announced in April, Japanese goods would be subject to a 24% duty. The imposition of this tariff…
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the formation of the Market, Government, and Consumer Fraud Unit (MGCF Unit). The MGCF will reportedly sit within the DOJ’s Fraud Section. Although the details of the MGCF Unit’s precise remit are still forthcoming, we expect the MGCF Unit will be empowered to pursue criminal investigations and prosecutions of tariff evasion techniques such as misclassifying or undervaluing goods, as well as transshipping goods to a different country and…
On July 15, President Trump turned to social media to announce a new trade agreement between the United States and Indonesia. The agreement, the third trade deal the U.S. administration has announced since the announcement of the “Liberation Day” tariffs, establishes a 19% duty on Indonesian imports to the United States, while U.S. goods will enjoy duty-free access to Indonesian markets including a potential non-tariff barrier elimination. The announcement also discloses that Indonesia has committed…
Days after announcing tariffs ranging from 20% to 50% against 22 countries (see our earlier commentary here and here), President Trump introduced tariffs of 35% on imports from Canada on July 10, and 30% tariffs on the E.U. and Mexico on July 12. The E.U., Mexico, and Canada represent the United States’ three largest export markets and together account for approximately 80% of U.S. exports. The new tariffs are due to commence on August 1.…
As reported on our blog earlier this week here and here, this Wednesday, July 9th, President Trump sent a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva informing that the United States will be imposing 50% tariffs on all Brazilian imports effective August 1st. The seven-paragraph correspondence follows a week in which Brazil hosted the BRICs summit in Rio de Janeiro. The letter cites the ongoing trial in Brazil against former President Jair Bolsonaro,…
On July 9, President Trump took to social media to announce updated tariffs targeting eight countries, which will come into effect on August 1. The news follows the announcement two days earlier of revised tariffs against 14 countries and the extension of the postponement of country-specific reciprocal tariffs, until August 1. The revised tariff rates range from 20% to 50%. As with the previously announced duties, the updated rates include hikes for some countries as…
On July 7, President Trump announced revised tariffs rates for certain trading partners that will take effect on August 1 and extended the postponement of his “Liberation Day” tariffs. The revised tariffs were announced via letters to 14 countries and range from 25% to 40%. These actions come mere days before President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, which were paused to allow for the negotiation of bilateral trade agreements, were due to resume on July 9 for…
On the evening of June 29, 2025, Canada announced it would cease collections of its digital services tax (DST) that was otherwise due the following day and would rescind the Digital Services Tax Act (DSTA), after President Trump’s threat to suspend bilateral trade talks. Prime Minister Carney and President Trump have each confirmed that they will resume negotiations with a view toward agreeing a trade deal by July 21, 2025. What is the DST? The…
In a move that could significantly reshape transatlantic commerce, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14309 on June 16, 2025, enacting key provisions of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. This agreement, unveiled at the G7 summit in Canada, aims to ease trade tensions and foster deeper economic cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States. The order was published that same day in the Federal Register and its provisions went into effect on June…