The sunset review of USMCA was designed to provide certainty to businesses, since even if one country says it doesn't think the trade pact should continue at the six-year mark, consultations continue for 10 years.

There is a directive from President Donald Trump to quickly land deals in steel, aluminum and energy, according to Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who spoke to Canadian reporters in the late afternoon Oct. 7, after a White House visit accompanying Prime Minister Mark Carney.

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The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security posted 95 requests for inclusions of new tariff subheadings under 50% Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum derivatives. Comments on the inclusion requests are due in 14 days, on Oct. 21, and the postings also kick off a 60-day period for BIS to consider the requests.

Think tank scholars said they think it's possible that tariffs on Chinese goods could decline by 20 percentage points after the two countries' presidents meet in a month, but that it's also possible that tariffs could soar again if President Donald Trump is angered by China's support for Russia, Iran or aggression toward the Philippines.

During the government shutdown or "funding hiatus," CBP cannot offer refunds or any payments that involve receiving a check from the Treasury Department, including drawback claim payments, protests and post-summary corrections, a CBP official said during an Oct. 6 call to discuss shutdown-related issues.

A sterling silver bracelet that underwent production in the U.S. before being shipped to India to undergo additional processing is still considered as having U.S. origin and is thus exempt from duties, CBP recently ruled in NY N350026.

The vessel operator is responsible for determining whether the vessel is subject to new fees on Chinese-built and -operated vessels calling at U.S. ports, CBP said in an Oct. 3 cargo systems message.

Given the White House's focus on trade enforcement, Customs rulings have become a way for importers to ensure they are following trade regulations appropriately.

Tariff preferences for sub-Saharan African countries and two of the three tariff preference programs for Haiti ended Oct. 1. In a hallway interview at the Capitol, Senate Finance Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said that he "would love to [renew both] retroactively."