IEEPA Refunds, New 301 Fronts, and Triple-Digit AD/CVD
NEWSLETTER | Trade Insight AI
Supreme Court Overturns IEEPA Tariffs; CIT Orders CBP Refunds, Act Now
STR Trade Report • March 12, 2026
After the Supreme Court invalidated IEEPA-based tariffs, the Court of International Trade ordered CBP to refund paid tariffs, but CBP is still building a refund process and timing is unclear. Importers should track liquidation dates and file timely protests to preserve claims; while immediate CIT lawsuits may not be necessary and a two-year filing window applies (earliest deadlines Jan–Feb 2027), strategic early filings could secure priority as thousands of cases accumulate.
Tariff Authority and New 301 Fronts
Tariff risk rises as USTR probes 16 partners for overcapacity
STR Trade Report •March 13, 2026
USTR opened Mar. 11 Section 301 investigations into alleged structural overcapacity across manufacturing in 16 economies—including China, the EU, India, Japan, and Mexico—citing partners’ large U.S. trade surpluses and persistently low global capacity utilization; new tariffs could replace those recently overturned by the Supreme Court. Public comments run Mar. 17–Apr. 15 with a hearing starting May 5, and USTR aims to conclude before Section 122 tariffs expire July 24. Outcomes may include broad duties across sectors like steel, autos, batteries, and semiconductors, with room for negotiated mitigation; additional 301 probes on forced labor are expected.
USTR Opens 60 Section 301 Probes Into Forced Labor Failures
USTR Press Releases •March 12, 2026
USTR has opened 60 Section 301 investigations into foreign acts, policies, or practices that fail to address forced labor. The broad move tightens the link between labor standards and trade enforcement and could lead to negotiated remedies or new and higher tariffs. Companies should map supply chains, document labor due diligence, and monitor USTR notices for potential comment and hearing opportunities.
Democrats Target Section 122 Tariff Powers With Repeal Bill
STR Trade Report •March 13, 2026
More than a dozen senators introduced the Reclaim Trade Powers Act (S. 4049) to repeal Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, the authority cited for the current global 10% tariff through July 24. While unlikely to advance immediately, the move signals growing congressional pushback after dozens of tariff changes (54 in the first Trump term, 59 already this term) and could gain traction if the IEEPA tariff refund process drags and election-year pressures mount. Trade professionals should watch House dynamics and court challenges to Section 122, as any curbs on unilateral tariff authority would materially affect pricing, planning, and risk management.
Trade Remedies Heat Up: AD/CVD and Safeguards
AD/CVD Roundup: Triple-Digit Rates Hit Palladium, R‑134a, Taiwan Monomers
STR Trade Report •March 12, 2026
U.S. trade authorities issued multiple AD/CVD actions: final CVD rates of 44.04–44.65% on Chinese corrosion inhibitors (2023 review) and final AD margins of 30.24% and 39.87% on Chinese chlorinated isocyanurates (6/1/23–5/31/24); new AD and CVD orders on monomers/oligomers from Taiwan took effect Mar. 11 with 130.23% dumping and 103.43% subsidy rates. A preliminary affirmative CVD finding on unwrought palladium from Russia triggers 109.1% cash deposits for entries on/after Mar. 11, while preliminary AD review results set a 167.02% China‑wide margin on R‑134a for 4/1/24–3/31/25. Importers face immediate deposit liabilities and elevated assessment risk; verify company-specific coverage, update landed cost models, and reassess sourcing.
AD/CVD Roundup: PET Film, Rebar, Shelving Orders Continue; Tire Scope Clarified
STR Trade Report •March 13, 2026
U.S. trade authorities issued multiple AD/CVD updates, including a 7.11% preliminary dumping margin in the administrative review of Spanish methionine for Sept. 1, 2023 through Aug. 31, 2024. Five-year reviews support continuation of orders on PET film from China, India, Taiwan, and the UAE; Mexican rebar (likely margins up to 66.7%); and Chinese kitchen appliance shelving/racks (dumping up to 95.99% and subsidies of 19.13%–175.03%). Commerce also clarified that T‑type tires fall within the Taiwan passenger and light truck tire AD order, signaling continued duty exposure and the need to review classifications and entries.
Russia Notifies WTO of EAEU Safeguard Investigation on Tinplate Imports
WTO Latest News •March 10, 2026
Russia has notified the WTO that it launched on 4 March 2026 a safeguard investigation into tinplate (flat-rolled iron/non-alloy steel) imported into the Eurasian Economic Union. Interested parties have 25 days from initiation to register, 45 days to request a public hearing, and 60 days to submit comments to the EEC’s Department for Internal Market Defence. A finding of serious injury could lead to temporary import restrictions, impacting tinplate supply and downstream packaging and steel sectors across the EAEU and exporting countries.
IP and Section 337 Watch
USITC IPR Update: Electric Aircraft Complaint Filed, Vapes Case Ends
STR Trade Report •March 13, 2026
Archer Aviation filed a new Section 337 complaint at the USITC alleging IPR infringement involving electric aircraft, related power systems, and components—an action that could lead to exclusion orders affecting e-aircraft supply chains. Separately, the Commission terminated Investigation No. 337-TA-1410 on disposable vaporizer devices after finding no violation, leaving imports of the covered vapes unaffected by this case.
ITC Opens New 337 Cases, Orders Exclusion for Nasal Devices
STR Trade Report •March 12, 2026
The ITC instituted Section 337 investigation 337-TA-1491 into vehicle parts (complainants General Motors and GM Global Technology Operations) and received new complaints on OTC lidocaine patches (J.A.R. Laboratories; targets in Ireland, France, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S.) and on screen protectors and application systems (Belkin; U.S. respondent). In investigation 337-TA-1444, the Commission issued a limited exclusion order and cease-and-desist orders against defaulting respondents involving nasal devices. Importers in these categories face elevated exclusion risk and should monitor case timelines, respondent participation, and potential border restrictions.
Compliance and Operations
Bicameral Bill Targets NRIs, Mandates Residency and Duty Controls
STR Trade Report •March 12, 2026
The Securing Accountability in Foreign Entries Act would largely end non-resident importer status by requiring importers of record to be U.S. residents/entities (or qualifying Canadian/Australian firms), or affiliates of sizable U.S. companies that accept full liability. It also sets a $100,000 minimum continuous bond and requires duties to be paid from AML-verified U.S. bank accounts; CBP would issue verification and penalty rules within a year—changes that could force foreign IORs to restructure and tighten compliance.
FMC Revokes 22 OTI Licenses, Citing Surrenders and Bond Lapses
STR Trade Report •March 13, 2026
The Federal Maritime Commission announced the revocation of 22 ocean transportation intermediary licenses, due to voluntary surrenders or failure to maintain required bonds. Shippers and carriers should verify counterparties’ FMC authorization and update vendor rosters to avoid disruptions and potential penalties tied to transactions with unauthorized intermediaries.
CBP Extends Colombia Cultural Artifact Import Restrictions Through 2031
STR Trade Report •March 12, 2026
U.S. Customs and Border Protection extended through March 10, 2031 the import restrictions on designated archaeological and ecclesiastical ethnological materials from Colombia. The renewal maintains cultural property protections, limiting entry of covered artifacts without proper export documentation and provenance. Importers, auction houses, and museums should review the designated list and ensure compliance procedures are current.
WTO and Market Access Developments
Uzbekistan Targets 2026 WTO Accession as Market Access Nears Finish
WTO Latest News •March 8, 2026
At the 12th WTO Working Party meeting on 9 March, Uzbekistan reaffirmed its goal to conclude accession in 2026, with 30 bilateral market-access agreements now deposited, including new deals with Ecuador, the European Union, Paraguay, the Russian Federation and Uruguay. The draft Working Party Report has grown to 62 proposed commitments (from 56) as members continue work on state-owned enterprises, TBT/SPS, IP and agriculture; the chair said the market-access pillar is very close to conclusion and plans to convene the next meeting before summer. If finalized this year, traders can expect clearer WTO-aligned rules and improved predictability, but should watch final disciplines and implementation timelines.
EIF Phase Three launches at MC14, shifting to multi-year LDC programs
WTO Latest News •March 10, 2026
The Enhanced Integrated Framework will launch Phase Three at a high-level event alongside MC14 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on 25 March, initiating a 2026–2031 shift from stand-alone projects to multi-year, country programs for LDCs and recent graduates. The updated approach targets green trade, digitalization, services and regional integration to build productive capacity, strengthen private sectors, and boost resilience and competitiveness for deeper integration into the multilateral trading system. With remarks by WTO leadership and LDC ministers, the event aims to mobilize funding pledges and partnerships, shaping technical assistance and investment pipelines that could accelerate LDC market access and diversification.
MC14 to Launch Cotton Investment Platform, Catalyzing West Africa Value-Add
WTO Latest News •March 8, 2026
On 25 March in Yaoundé, a high-level cotton event ahead of WTO MC14 will launch the Partenariat pour le Coton (PPC) Investment Platform (2026–2030) and showcase textile/fashion entrepreneurs, bringing together UNIDO, ITC, ILO, FIFA, ministers and financiers. The PPC aims to mobilize $5 billion over 10 years to upgrade the cotton‑to‑garment value chain across the C4+ (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali), targeting $6 billion in value‑added output and roughly 500,000 decent jobs. For trade professionals, this signals pipeline opportunities in West and Central Africa—leveraging blended finance and risk‑mitigation tools—with early demand signals from FIFA’s Football for Schools jerseys produced in Benin and participation by AfDB, Afreximbank, ITFC and others.
Economist’s Guide to the WTO: Managing Spillovers and MFN Gains
WTO Latest News •March 8, 2026
A six-part WTO blog by economist Robert Staiger frames the WTO as a mechanism for managing cross-border spillovers from unilateral trade policies, explaining how MFN, reciprocity and bindings enable stable, welfare-enhancing bargains. Quantitative counterfactuals show that abandoning MFN could have made the Uruguay Round worse than no deal, while the biggest gains typically stem from each member’s own reciprocal liberalization. The series extends the logic beyond tariffs to subsidies and regulations, clarifying how rules protect market access while balancing policy space—timely guidance for current reform debates.
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