Every change that moves a number, dated and sourced.

USTR proposes forced-labor §301 action — 60 economies, up to 12.5% ad valorem #

USTR's June 1-2 Federal Register notice moves the forced-labor §301 investigation (60 economies, hearings closed early May) into a concrete proposed-action stage. Up to 12.5% ad valorem on goods from named economies. Sixty economies split into two tiers — 54 'failed to impose and effectively enforce a forced-labor import prohibition' (China, India, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil et al.) and 6 'have a prohibition but failed to enforce effectively' (Canada, Ecuador, EU, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan). Written comments due July 6; public hearings start July 7. Targeted effective date aligns with the §301 16-economy action target July 24.

Coverage: Export country CN · IN · JP · KR · VN · MX · BR · EU · ID · PK · EC · CA · BD · KH · TH · MY · SG · TW → Import country US · HS 61 · 62 · 63 · 64 · 84 · 85 · 87 · 03 · 04 · 07 · 08 · 27 · 85

• Official source: USTR Federal Register notice — forced-labor §301 proposed action
• Source: ABC News — Trump admin proposes broad new tariffs
• Source: GHY — USTR US-China Trade Board & Forced-Labor Goods Tariffs

USTR initiates Brazil-specific §301 investigation (separate from forced-labor track) #

On June 1, 2026, USTR published a Federal Register notice initiating a Brazil-specific §301 investigation. Brazil is not on the 60-economy forced-labor list; the Brazil case is a discrete track. Covers core Brazilian exports to the US — coffee (HS 09), iron ore (HS 26), meat (HS 02), pulp (HS 47), sugar (HS 17), ethanol (HS 22), wood (HS 44). No proposed rate yet — investigation phase. Comment and hearing schedule to follow standard Section 301 timeline.

Coverage: Export country BR → Import country US · HS 09 · 26 · 44 · 47 · 02 · 17 · 22

• Official source: USTR Press Releases (June 2026)
• Source: Trade Compliance Resource Hub Tracker

US-Mexico USMCA bilateral round 1 concludes — three-round schedule locks in #

The first formal US-Mexico USMCA review round closed May 28-29 in Mexico City. Deputy USTR Jeffrey Gerrish led the US delegation (Greer did not personally attend); Marcelo Ebrard led for Mexico. Three core agenda blocks: automotive rules of origin, §232 steel/aluminum derivative boundary conditions, economic security — plus a scope expansion covering medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic-products regulatory compatibility. Round 2 scheduled June 16-17 in Washington, adding agriculture and 'level playing field' topics. Round 3 set for the week of July 20 in Mexico City — placed four days before the §301 16-economy action target of July 24. Canada absent from this bilateral track.

Coverage: Export country All → Import country US · MX · HS 72 · 76 · 87 · 30 · 33

• Official source: USTR — US and Mexico Conclude First Bilateral Round
• Source: CGTN — Mexico US conclude first round USMCA talks
• Source: Washington Trade & Tariff Letter — Canada track lags

CIT strikes down §122 — CAFC administrative stay keeps collection in place pending appeal #

On May 7, 2026, the US Court of International Trade ruled 2-1 that Proclamation 11012 — the Trump administration's February 20 implementation of a 10% global surcharge under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — is unlawful. Reason: the statutory prerequisite of a 'large and serious balance-of-payments deficit' was not satisfied. Three plaintiffs (Burlap & Barrel Inc., Basic Fun Inc., State of Washington) received a permanent injunction. On May 12, the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued an administrative stay of the CIT injunction pending appeal — meaning §122 continues to be collected from all other importers. On May 20, the CIT denied the government's separate motion for a further stay. The CAFC merits opinion is most likely late 2026 (standard 3-9 month appellate cadence after oral argument). Practically: §122 is judicially live limbo through §301's July 24 takeover.

Coverage: Export country All → Import country US · HS All

• Source: Gibson Dunn — Section 122 Global Tariffs Invalidated by CIT
• Source: Skadden — US Trade Court Strikes Down Section 122 Tariffs
• Source: Norton Rose Fulbright — CIT Rules Section 122 Invalid
• Source: Holland & Knight — CIT Invalidates §122
• Source: FreightFigures — CAFC Stays the CIT Section 122 Ruling

Greer + Ebrard joint statement: sector-by-sector USMCA bilateral, first formal round in Mexico City week of May 25 #

On April 20, 2026, USTR Jamieson Greer and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard issued a joint statement directing teams to advance technical work on economic security, complementary trade actions, strengthened rules of origin for key industrial goods, and collaboration on critical minerals. President Sheinbaum publicly framed Mexico's objective: a specialized steel/aluminum/autos agreement before the trilateral review concludes. Ebrard described the negotiating posture as 'sector by sector,' targeting reduced extra-regional dependence — particularly the 85%+ Asian import share in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and electronics. The first formal bilateral negotiating round is scheduled for the week of May 25, 2026 in Mexico City. USTR has signaled separately that existing US §232 / §301 / §122 tariffs on Mexico-origin goods stay in place during the negotiation window.

Coverage: Export country All → Import country US · MX · HS 72 · 76 · 87 · 85 · 30

• Official source: USTR — Joint Statement Greer + Ebrard
• Source: Rio Times — USMCA formal negotiations May 25
• Source: DBBNW — Mexico seeks early steel and auto trade deal with US
• Source: Steel Market Update — USTR says steel/auto tariffs on Mexico will remain

CBP launches CAPE Phase 1: consolidated IEEPA refund process for duties paid Apr 2025 – Feb 2026 #

CBP issued CSMS #68315804 on April 10 confirming that Phase 1 of the Consolidated Adjustment for Prior Entries (CAPE) refund process launched April 20, 2026. The mechanism mass-processes accepted entry summaries by recalculating duties as if IEEPA tariffs were never owed; interest is computed under 19 CFR 24.36. The refund channel exists because the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs in Learning Resources v. Trump (Feb 20, 2026, 6-3 ruling). CBP follow-up CSMS dated April 13 detailed the entry-summary recalculation logic. Importers do not have to file entry-by-entry; CAPE consolidates the refund.

Coverage: Export country All → Import country US · HS All

• Official source: CBP IEEPA Duty Refunds (CBP.gov landing page)
• Official source: CBP IEEPA FAQ
• Official source: CSMS #68315804 — CAPE Introduction (Apr 10)
• Official source: CSMS #68340863 — CAPE Update (Apr 20 deployment)
• Official source: CSMS #68396594 — CAPE Available Now
• Source: Thompson Hine SmarTrade — CBP Confirms April 20 Launch
• Source: Holland & Knight — CAPE Has Arrived: Navigating Phase 1
• Source: Sourcing Journal — IEEPA refund portal: 3% of entries refunded
• Source: Abasto — 11.2M IEEPA refund claims in first week
• Source: Neville Peterson — IEEPA Refund Litigation update + CAPE

§232 imposes 100% on patented pharma (15% Switzerland) #

White House signs §232 proclamation on April 2. 100% ad valorem on patented drugs + APIs. Switzerland preferential tier at 15%. Generics and biosimilars fully exempt. Effective July 31 for 17 Annex III companies; September 29 for others.

Coverage: Export country All → Import country US · HS 30

• Official source: White House Proclamation
• Source: Crowell & Moring client alert

§232 restructured: derivatives now pay full customs value (was metal-content) #

April 2 proclamation raises Annex I-A primary metals to 50% ad valorem, Annex I-B derivatives to 25% on full customs value (no more metal-content split). UK origin qualifies for 25%/15% tiers with 95% melt-and-pour rule. Products with ≤15% metal content fully exempt. Quarterly inclusion process terminated.

Coverage: Export country All → Import country US · HS 72 · 73 · 74 · 76 · 84 · 85 · 87 · 94

• Official source: White House Proclamation
• Official source: CBP §232 FAQ

USTR Greer + Mexico's Ebrard formally launch bilateral USMCA pre-review track #

On March 18, 2026, USTR Jamieson Greer met Mexico's Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard in Washington to formally open bilateral USMCA review discussions, ahead of the July 1, 2026 first joint review. The published agenda: increasing US and Mexican production, limiting non-market inputs into North American supply chains, and identifying gaps in key supply chains. Canada was not included in this bilateral track — the meeting reads as a US-MX positioning channel rather than a trilateral preparatory.

Coverage: Export country All → Import country US · MX · HS All

• Official source: USTR press release — US-Mexico bilateral discussions next steps
• Source: Brookings — The US has formally started joint review of USMCA
• Official source: CRS — USMCA Joint Review process and role of Congress