Trade Agreements

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Companies can design their international supply chain to reduce customs duties and other expenses by sourcing goods originating in a Free Trade Area. The United States has trade agreements ranging from the US-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement ("USMCA") and the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic FTA ("CAFTA-DR") to bilateral agreements with South Korea, Australia, Chile, Singapore, Jordan, Israel, Moroco, Bahrain and other countries. Companies exporting to customers who may be seeking to claim preferences under these agreements must establish compliance systems to gather the necessary information and document the origin of their products. Similarly, importers need to have the required documentation or knowledge to support a claim for duty-free entry.

Barnes/Richardson lawyers have helped many companies establish and defend compliance systems for FTAs. This experience includes very complex programs including automotive rules of origin, averaging, fungible materials, and other details of the rules of origin. We have also worked with companies undergoing governmental verifications of the status of their goods.

Jan. 21, 2025: Proposed Rule Prohibits Section 301 Goods from De Minimis Exemption
Jan. 21, 2025: Day 1 Trade Actions Have No Tariffs but Lots of (Potential) Impact
Jan. 15, 2025: East Coast/Gulf Workers and Ports Agree to 6-Year Contract
Jan. 14, 2025: Chinese Semiconductors Under 301 Investigation
Jan. 13, 2025: China Moves to Protect Its EV and Battery Supply Chains
Jan. 13, 2025: BIS Expanding Controls on Advanced AI and Computing Technology
Jan. 13, 2025: Customs Proposes Change to De Minimis Shipments
Jan. 10, 2025: CBP Seeks to Add Post-Departure Filing Requirements for Rail Shipments to Canada and Mexico
Jan. 3, 2025: BIS Assessing Controls of ICTS From China and Russia used for UAS/UAVs
Dec. 20, 2024: AD/CVD Petitions Filed on Erythritol
Dec. 19, 2024: AD/CVD Petitions Filed on Lithium-ion Battery Components
Dec. 18, 2024: U.S. Implements First Step in Trade Agreement with Taiwan
Dec, 16, 2024: Appeals Court Questions First Sale Decision
Dec. 12, 2024: Importer Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Chinese-Origin Tires into the U.S.
Dec. 5, 2024: China Retaliates Against U.S. Export Controls by Blocking Crucial Minerals
Nov. 26, 2024: President-Elect Threatens Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China
Nov. 22, 2024: EU Forced Labor Regulation Advancing
Nov. 22, 2024: Significant Additions to UFLPA List
Nov. 20, 2024: History Offers Some Clues Regarding Export Controls Under the Next Administration
Nov. 18, 2024: Joint Action Targets "Third Party Enablers" Supporting Russia's Military Industrial Base
Nov. 15, 2024: Update on Recently Published BIS Cases – "Don't Let This Happen to You"
Nov. 14, 2024: U.S. and Indonesia to Expand Trade Relations with Critical Minerals Talks
Nov. 11, 2024: Pentagon Plans to Nearshore Supply Chains
Oct. 31, 2024: USITC Negative Final Determination On Aluminum Extrusion Imports
Oct. 30, 2024: EU Springs Forward with Countervailing Duties on Chinese EV Batteries
Oct. 28, 2024: Tangential Participant Liability Under the EAR
Oct. 24, 2024: Common & Commercial Interpretation Leads to 25% Section 301 Duty
Oct. 22, 2024: BIS Issues New Rule and Proposed Rule to Amend U.S. Space-Related Controls
Oct. 16, 2024: U.S. Legislators Call on USMCA Partners to Mirror UFLPA
Oct. 15, 2024: Nonprofit Report Links Pharmaceuticals to Forced Labor
Oct. 11, 2024: EU Follows Suit with Duties Against Chinese EVs
Oct. 4, 2024: BIS Imposes Penalty for Back-Dated Document
Oct. 4, 2024: Tri-Seal Enforcement Event Insights
Sep. 27, 2024: East Coast and Gulf Coast Port Strikes Impact Supply Chains
Sep. 23, 2024: Proposed Rule to Prohibit Vehicle Connectivity Systems from China and Russia
Sep. 20, 2024: Multilateralism Increases Odds of Catching Export Violations
Sep. 19, 2024: C-TPAT Members Get FTZ Benefit for Forced Labor Detentions
Sep. 17, 2024: White House Pursues De Minimis Crackdown
Sep. 13, 2024: Revised 301 Tariff Coverage and Start Date Finalized
Sep. 11, 2024: Illegal Tile Import Leads to Prison Time
Sep. 6, 2024: AD/CVD Petitions Filed Against Against Corrosion-Resistant Steel Imports
Sep. 5, 2024: Customs Reminds Importers that Most UFLPA Seizures Aren't Shipped from China
Aug. 30, 2024: New Wave of Sanctions Against Russia
Aug. 29, 2024: Canada And U.S. Eye-To-Eye on Chinese Tariffs
Aug. 23, 2024: Critical Mineral Access Shapes U.S. Trade Plans
Aug. 22, 2024: CFIUS Touts Enforcement Capabilities with $60 million Penalty
Aug. 16, 2024: U.S. – Canada Rail Disruption Appears Likely

View Archive

Jan. 22, 2025: Webinar: What We Know After the Inauguration
Sep. 9, 2024: McPherson to Co-Moderate Export Enforcement Discussion
January 20, 2020: USMCA: An Overview
By: Lawrence M. Friedman
May 4, 2017: BRC Partner Lawrence Friedman to Speak at Upcoming PERT Event
March 3, 2014: BRC Partner Quoted in Korean Orange Juice Investigation
June 18, 2013: Barnes/Richardson Attorney Authors Article on U.S.-EU Free Trade Agreement
May 5, 2008: Canada Adopts NAFTA Disassembly Rule
January 14, 2008: The Role of Trade in the 2008 Elections
By: Lawrence M. Friedman
October 12, 2007: NAFTA Certificates of Origin: Supporting Document Requirement
By: Lawrence M. Friedman
July 13, 2007: CBP Commissioners Speak on Cargo Security
May 1, 2007: Reducing Customs Duties: Strategies for Importers
By: Lawrence M. Friedman
January 11, 2007: Country Brief: Oman
January 11, 2007: Country Brief: Jordan
November 20, 2005: Country Brief: Morocco
March 17, 2005: Country Brief: Australia
November 19, 2004: Country Brief: Chile
November 18, 2004: Country Brief: Panama
November 18, 2004: Country Brief: Bahrain
May 1, 2004: "Who's Who" in Customs and International Trade Law
By: David G. Forgue
March 10, 2004: The U.S.-Singapore Free-Trade Agreement
November 19, 2004: Country Brief: Singapore
June 10, 2003: United States and Singapore Sign Free Trade Agreement
January 1, 2003: NAFTA Rules of Origin

Andean Pact CO
Carribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act CO
GSP Guidebook (February 2007)
H.R. 1830 - Andean Trade Preferences Extension
U.S. Preferential Trade Agreements and Programs Synopsis
Trade Deals Going South
CBP Memo on System Changes for US-Australia FTA
US-Australia FTA Implementation Information
US-Bahrain FTA Final Rule
US-Bahrain FTA Interim Rule
Guidance on MPF and Duty Preference Programs
2007 Customs Year in Review
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: DR-CAFTA for Dominican Republic
U.S.-Chile Sample CO
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Amendment to the U.S. Dominican Republic-Central America FTA
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Bahrain Free Trade Agreement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Chile Free Trade Agreement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: DR-CAFTA for Guatemala
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: DR-CAFTA for Honduras and Nicaragua
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2006
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Jordan Free Trade Agreement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Morocco Free Trade Agreement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Oman Free Trade Agreement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Implementation Instructions: Singapore Free Trade Agreement
WTO Proposal for Trade Liberalization in Environmental Goods

African Growth and Opportunities Act
WTO Antidumping Information
Canada and the NAFTA (Dep't of Foreign Affairs)
Dispute Settlement Under NAFTA
Investor-State Arbitrations under NAFTA
NAFTA Information (Canada Border Services Agency)
NAFTA Information (US)
NAFTA Secretariat
Organization of American States
U.S. Dep't of Commerce Trade Compliance Center
AGOA Info
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement
Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement
Federal Revenue & Customs of Brazil
Free Trade Area of the Americas (Canadian)
Free Trade Area of the Americas (OAS)
Free Trade Area of the Americas (Official)
Guide to the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Southern Africa Trade Law Center
Trade Agreements Database
U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (Final Text)
U.S.-Bahrain FTA Final Text
U.S.-Bahrain FTA Resources
U.S.-Central America-Domincan Republic FTA USTR Resources
U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic FTA (Final Text)
U.S.-Chile FTA Final Text
U.S.-Chile FTA USTR Resources
U.S.-Colombia FTA Final Text
U.S.-Colombia FTA Resources
U.S.-Israel FTA Background
U.S.-Israel FTA Final Text
U.S.-Jordan FTA Final Text
U.S.-Jordan FTA Resources
U.S.-Korea Free Trade Resources
U.S.-Morocco FTA Final Text
U.S.-Morocco FTA Resources
U.S.-Panama FTA Resources
U.S.-Singapore FTA Final Text
U.S.-Singapore FTA USTR Resources
United Nations
USTR FTA Negotiations
World Trade Organization