In a development that follows the uncertainty outlined in our earlier blog post on South Africa’s evolving trade strategy and the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the U.S. Congress has now formally extended AGOA for a period of at least one year. AGOA, a central pillar of U.S.–Africa trade relations since 2000, has been retroactively extended from 30 September 2025 to 31 December 2026. The renewal follows extensive negotiations within the U.S. Congress and…
On January 29, 2026, President Trump signed Executive Order 14380, “Addressing Threats To the United States by the Government of Cuba” (the “Executive Order”), in which he declared a national emergency with respect to Cuba and authorized the United States to impose new tariffs on imports from countries that directly or indirectly supply oil to the Government of Cuba. The Executive Order is accompanied by a White House Fact Sheet outlining the administration’s national security…
This blog series provides Baker McKenzie’s insights and strategic advice on the 2026 USMCA review, including how businesses should prepare for changes to this trilateral agreement. Baker McKenzie’s North American customs team includes trade professionals, attorneys and economists in Canada, the US and Mexico. We have a reputation for delivering strategic and practical advice to optimize supply chains under the USMCA, foster compliance, and address commercial concerns arising from Chapter 31 disputes. President Trump…
This blog series provides Baker McKenzie’s insights and strategic advice on the 2026 USMCA review, including how businesses should prepare for changes to this trilateral agreement. Baker McKenzie’s North American customs team includes trade professionals, attorneys and economists in Canada, the US and Mexico. We have a reputation for delivering strategic and practical advice to optimize supply chains under the USMCA, foster compliance, and address commercial concerns arising from Chapter 31 disputes. A trilateral…
On January 14, 2026, President Trump issued two proclamations under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. § 1862), relating to imports of semiconductors and critical minerals (the “Semiconductor Proclamation” and “Critical Minerals Proclamation”, respectively). These proclamations—especially the Semiconductor Proclamation, which imposes an immediate 25% tariff on imports of certain semiconductors—will likely have significant impacts on U.S. trade in these sectors. Semiconductor Proclamation The Semiconductor Proclamation was issued based on the…
Background Tensions between the United States and the European Union have intensified after President Trump announced, in a January 17, 2026, social media post that the United States will impose tariffs of 10% from February 1 and 25% from June 1 on Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, unless a deal is reached for the “complete and total purchase of Greenland.” Tariffs Threatened by the United States The threatened…
On November 13, 2025, the Trump Administration announced four frameworks for bilateral trade agreements designed to strengthen economic ties between the United States and Argentina, Guatemala, Ecuador, and El Salvador. These frameworks represent a step in advancing the administration’s trade agenda, which aims to rebalance US trade relationships and reinforce economic security across the Western Hemisphere. The United States–Argentina framework aims to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the two nations. Under the proposed framework for…
On September 25 and after years of litigation, the Federal Circuit upheld tariffs on Chinese goods imposed during President Donald Trump’s first term under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 . The three-judge panel unanimously agreed that the administration had the authority to expand the initial tariffs from USD 50 billion to USD 320 billion worth of Chinese goods on products in 2019. Importers challenged the tariffs arguing they were unlawful. The court…
The US Department of Commerce announced that it had initiated separate investigations under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 into imports of a broad array of medical goods and imports of robotics and industrial machinery. These new investigations illustrate the administration’s growing reliance on Section 232 investigations to impose tariffs. Section 232 authorizes the President, through the US Department of Commerce, to examine national security impacts of specific imports. In addition to…
On September 25, President Donald Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to announce a new wave of tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, targeting furniture, pharmaceuticals and trucks. These measures, set to take effect on October 1, 2025, are framed as necessary for national security and are being implemented to revitalize domestic manufacturing, and seem to follow from the previously announced initiation of Section 232 investigations covering such products.…