South Africa launched a safeguard investigation on flat-rolled products of iron, non-alloy steel or other alloy steel, the country told the World Trade Organization's committee on safeguards on Feb. 29. South Africa said interested parties must make their submissions within a 20-day period after the start of the investigation on Feb. 23.
World Trade Organization members at the body's 13th Ministerial Conference decided to extend the moratorium on e-commerce duties until MC14 or March 31, 2026, whichever comes first, the WTO announced at the conclusion of the ministerial. They also agreed to conduct "period reviews on the E-commerce Work Programme" with the goal of "presenting recommendations for action to the Ministerial Conference."
The Court of International Trade on March 1 said "all attorneys eligible for renewal registration" must submit a renewal form and that non-federal government attorneys must pay a $75 registration fee by June 1. Lawyers admitted in 2023 and 2024 are exempt from the renewal requirements, the court said. Failure to renew will lead to the "removal of the attorney from the court's bar roll, without prejudice to an application for admission as a new member." Registration fees may be waived.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit last week issued guidance on "allowable and unallowble counsel scheduling conflicts" with oral argument sessions, clarifying that the list is non-exhaustive. The guidance said the three key requirements needed for a showing of "good cause" in rescheduling oral arguments are "certainty," in that the "conflict is already scheduled"; "specificity"; and "strong basis," which means the conflict must be for a "strong reason" and can't be easily "resolved or rescheduled."
The following lawsuits were filed recently at the Court of International Trade:
The Court of International Trade said the Commerce Department must file remand results in a Section 232 exclusion request challenge from NLMK Pennsylvania on April 8 "unless the parties have executed a settlement agreement before that date" (NLMK Pennsylvania v. United States, CIT # 21-00507).
DOJ attorney Melissa Patterson withdrew from the massive Section 301 case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, according to a March 1 notice. Patterson, who has worked as an assistant director to the solicitor general since 2019, joined the case in November (see 2311200046) (HMTX Industries v. United States, Fed. Cir. # 23-1891).
The U.S. told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in a Feb. 29 reply brief that exporter Guizhou Tyre offered a "confused rendition of" the Commerce Department's separate rate analysis, equating the presumption of foreign state control with the lower standard from the agency's "substantial evidence requirement." The government said that, contrary to Guizhou Tyre's claims, it's not Commerce's duty to affirmatively show an absence of Chinese state control (Guizhou Tyre Co. v. United States, Fed. Cir. # 23-2165).
Josh Kagan, former assistant U.S. trade representative for labor affairs, has joined Kelley Drye as a special counsel in the international trade practice group, the firm announced. At USTR, Kagan worked on adopting and enforcing "internationally recognized labor rights," along with the "negotiation and implementation of labor provisions included in bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade agreements."
Commerce Department attorney Savannah Maxwell announced her promotion to senior attorney at the agency's Office of the Chief Counsel for Trade Enforcement and Compliance. Maxwell joined Commerce in 2019, serving as a staff attorney for the past four years, said her LinkedIn announcement.