On 20 February, the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced it was seeking public comments on unfair and non-reciprocal foreign trade practices by trading partners (FRN 3390-F4). Comments are due by 11 March and can be submitted through the USTR comments portal. The request for comments is part of President Trumps Reciprocal Trade and Tariffs memo and, more broadly, the America First Trade Policy, which require reports to be summited to the President as early as 1 April.
Comments will inform USTRs mandated review and recommendations of foreign trade practices, but USTR reserves the ability to take action in advance of the submissions
As per the Federal Register notice, comments should:
- Be on a country-by-country basis.
- Encompass a wide range of unfair trade practices including policies, measures, or barriers that undermine US businesses or failure by a country to take action to address a non-market policy or practice.
- Explain the impact of the unfair trade practice or arrangement, which may include a quantification of the actual harm or opportunity cost to American businesses (ideally ascribing a dollar amount).
USTR seeks comments on any foreign country or economy, but it is particularly interested in submissions related to the below.
- Largest trading economies, like G20 countries:
- Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, the African Union and the European Union.
- Countries which the US has large trade deficits in goods (G20 countries italicized):
- Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
- USMCA, US-China Phase 1 Agreement, and other existing US trade agreements and sectoral trade agreements.
