A new Country Limitation Schedule (CLS) with the following cover policy changes is effective May 30, 2024. The CLS indicates where EXIM is "open for cover" and where EXIM is "off-cover."

Countries are mulling over what to do next after failing to meet a deadline to produce an agreement to prepare for future health crises in two years. African states would like to see a deal this year, while others argue for a longer extension.

The Biden Administration continues to promote its Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity vision of agricultutal cooperation and digital workforce development in Latin America. Officials from partner countries and experts from the Inter-American Development Bank met in Quito to "discuss how new technologies, climate-smart tools, and bioeconomic approaches can advance efforts to ensure our people have a sufficient supply of sustainably produced food," according to the State Department,

The inaugural Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on science and technology (S&T) cooperation met in London Monday and Tuesday. The JCM focused on synthetic biology, quantum, and artificial intelligence as outlined in the June 2023 Action Plan for a Twenty-First Century U.S.-UK Economic Partnership . 

Many developing countries, including the Africa Group and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group, yesterday rejected the proposal on “responsible consensus” floated by Singapore and several countries at the World Trade Organization, said people familiar with the developments. The United States seemingly adopted an ambivalent position on “consensus”-based decision-making, saying “consensus” is essential. It added that members have the option to block decisions that conflict with vital national interests, said people who took part in the meeting.

The International Trade Commission issued its final determination yesterday that imports of brass rod are injuring US manufacturers.

The Agriculture Department is allocating $300 million to 66 US organizations, under the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program, to build demand for US food and farm exports in high-potential markets around the globe, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced yesterday. The program was launched last October, authorizing $1.2 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funding to help US exporters expand their customer base beyond traditional and established markets.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers are urging President Biden to act on a new law allowing him to seize frozen Russian assets and give them to Ukraine for reconstruction ahead of the G7 finance ministers’ meeting. The lawmakers asked for a briefing by June 1 on the progress of talks being led by the National Security Council to encourage G7 and European Union partners to find creative mechanisms for using Russian sovereign funds frozen in their respective jurisdictions.

Congressional leaders rallied around the idea of a Free Trade Agreement for Kenya, while the Biden Administration continues to pursue its U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) with its associated “high-standard commitments.” STIP is inteneded for the  United States and Kenya to resolve various nontariff trade issues— including on agriculture, anti-corruption efforts, digital trade, environmental issues, workers’ rights, and trade facilitation.

World Trade Organization General Council Chair Petter Olberg informed members yesterday that a retreat will be convened on July 8-9 to discuss how the WTO can remain a “forward-looking organization” amidst continued stalemates on several issues, said people familiar with the development. The hidden goal of the retreat seems to be aimed at changing the consensus-based decision-making as enshrined in the Marrakesh Agreement that established the WTO in 1995, said a trade envoy who asked not to be quoted.

Friday the Office of Missile, Biological, and Chemical Nonproliferation, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Department of State, named three individuals and two entities as violators of the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA). Industry should be aware of its compliance obligations and exercise extra vigilance due to the ubiquitous nature of many of the items, as Iran utilizes commercial-grade components in its weapons.

A bipartisan group of House members have introduced legislation that would provide investment tax credits to encourage the movement of pharmaceutical supply chains back to territories like Puerto Rico and Guam from China. The Bill states: The critical supply chains reshoring investment credit is an amount equal to 40 percent of the qualified investment with respect to any critical supply chain facility placed in service during such taxable year."  

President Biden has withdrawn the nomination of lobbyist Nelson Cunningham to be Deputy US Trade Representative for the Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Middle East, Labor and Environment, in response to key Democrats’ opposition to the choice. In lieu of the USTR post, Mr. Cunningham will be joining the State Department as a Senior Advisor to Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jose Fernandez.

The Energy Department published guidelines and instructions for obtaining a waiver to the recently signed Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, which bans the import of certain types of Russian Low Enriched Uranium into the United States beginning on August 11, 2024

The United States, Canada, and Mexico have signed an addendum to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Free Trade Commission (FTC) Decision No. 5 on North American Competitiveness that will strengthen coordination across all three countries on emergency response.

US Customs officals and their French counterparts signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Thursday. Improved collaboration as outlined in the Joint Declaration is expected to include intelligence, inspections, investigations, targeting and operational cooperation, and exchange of best practices in the customs field.  

A group of developing and developed members appealed for the EU to postpone the implementation of its new Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR).

Eight Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Ambassador Bathsheba Nell Crocker, U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva, in support of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) draft Pandemic Agreement that will be considered by the WHO members this month.  Meanwhile, in Geneva,  the Associated Press reports Roland Driece, co-chair of WHO’s negotiating board for the agreement, acknowledged Friday that countries were unable to come up with a draft. 

Wednesday the House Foreign Affairs Committee  passed H.R. 8315, the “Enhancing National Frameworks for Overseas Critical Exports Act” (ENFORCE Act) 43-3, with broad bipartisian support.   Introduced by Rep. Michael McCaul, the bill expands the authority of the BIS to control the export of Artificial Intelligence Systems.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a Federal Register notice for the enhanced Section 301 tariffs announced by the Biden administration last week. The notice includes annexes listing the 382 HTSUS subheadings and 5 statistical reporting numbers of the HTSUS, with an approximate annual trade value of $18 billion. Included are Exclusions and a process for requesting exclusions.