U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZs) are powerful tools for enhancing the competitiveness of American businesses in the global market. These zones offer significant benefits, including duty deferral, elimination of intermediaries, and various cost-saving measures. Despite their potential, FTZs remain underutilized, and certain regulatory limitations prevent them from fully realizing their impact. The Benefits of FTZs In 2024, U.S. FTZs continued to demonstrate their economic impact with updated figures: $160 billion in exports: An increase in exports facilitated by FTZs, highlighting their growing importance in international trade. $580 billion in imports: A rise in imports processed through FTZs, showcasing their role in supporting global supply chains. 575,000 U.S. jobs: An increase in job creation and retention, further emphasizing the importance of FTZs

The following list, provided by CBP, is a guide to acceptable and unacceptable descriptions. This list is not exhaustive and will continue to expand as unacceptable descriptions are identified and acceptable descriptions are further refined. Descriptions in the Acceptable column should be viewed only as examples of the items they actually describe and not as a list of specifically acceptable or restrictive terms. Unacceptable Acceptable “Brand” or “Trade Mark” names by themselves, i.e., “Bubbles Brand” “Bubbles Brand” Laundry Detergent Laundry Detergent Animals Horse Poultry Bovine Apparel/Clothing/Garments Shoes, Footwear Wearing Apparel, Ladies’ Apparel, Men’s Apparel Women’s Dresses Men’s Shirts Boy’s Jackets Appliances Refrigerator Stove Microwave Oven Coffee Machines Accessories Hair Elastics Sunglasses Socks Auto Parts Air Filters Automobile Brakes Automotive Windshield

In a recent decision, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) concluded that aluminum extrusions imported from a range of countries, including China, India, and Mexico, do not harm the U.S. industry. This ruling comes after the U.S. Department of Commerce identified that these imports were being sold in the U.S. at prices below fair market value and were subsidized by the governments of China, Indonesia, Mexico, and Turkey. The Commission’s decision was split, with Commissioners David S. Johanson and Jason E. Kearns voting against the notion of injury, while Chair Amy A. Karpel supported it. Commissioner Rhonda K. Schmidtlein did not participate in the vote. As a result, no additional tariffs or duties will be imposed on these aluminum products,

Starting October 1, 2024, Taiwan’s Highway Bureau will implement stricter regulations on container size and weight limits. For 20-foot containers, the total weight limit is set at 31.5 tons, which includes approximately 11 tons for the tractor and trailer and around 2.5 tons for the empty container, leaving a cargo weight limit of 18 tons. For 40-foot containers, the total weight limit is 42 tons, with 12.5 tons for the tractor and trailer and about 5 tons for the empty container, resulting in a cargo weight limit of 24.5 tons.   These new regulations are expected to increase shipping costs, particularly impacting the steel industry. The local steel industry, already facing weak demand, may struggle to remain competitive with the