United States: Export Controls & Trade & Investment Sanctions

U.S. importers face complex regulations around "assists" - value provided to foreign manufacturers that impacts customs duties. Understanding how to properly calculate and apportion assist values across shipments is critical for compliance...

This week delivered the kind of headline that had international trade compliance practitioners’ heads swimming: a 14‑point Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”)...

On June 14 and 15, 2026, the United States and Iran announced that they had reached a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, intended to halt ongoing hostilities and establish a framework for further negotiations.

On June 3, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Strengthening Customs Enforcement,” (the Order) directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)...

The U.S. Trade Representative has opened a narrow window for companies to advocate for tariff relief on Chinese imports and enhanced market access for U.S. exports through a newly established U.S.-China Board of Trade. With a July 10, 2026 deadline approaching, businesses must quickly develop evidence-based submissions identifying "non-sensitive" products worth approximately $30 billion in trade that could benefit from reduced tariffs following bilateral negotiations.

President Trump's June 2026 executive order targets foreign importers of record with stricter customs enforcement measures aimed at preventing unlawful imports and ensuring duty accountability.

The White House has issued a sweeping executive order on "Strengthening Customs Enforcement" that fundamentally reshapes how goods enter the United States, introducing stringent new requirements for importers of record...

The U.S. government's threatened appeal of IEEPA tariff refunds creates uncertainty for importers who have already begun receiving billions in duty refunds, while new Section 301 tariffs targeting 60 countries for forced...

Export controls govern the transfer of goods, technology, and services across borders—and violations carry penalties reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. With enforcement intensifying and regulations expanding to cover foreign person employees, military end users, and emerging geopolitical flashpoints, in-house counsel must understand how ITAR, EAR, and OFAC intersect with daily business operations.