Industrial Policy & Trade Monitor· 2667 actions· ✨ 89 recent

USTR formally initiated the second statutorily mandated four-year review of its Section 301 investigation into China's acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation (Federal Register 2026-08806, published May 6, 2026). The review covers tariff actions imposed on approximately $300 billion of Chinese goods across Lists 1–4B (25% on most lists; 7.5% on List 4A) and will determine whether those actions should be continued, modified, or terminated. Interested parties may file continuation requests in two 60-day windows: May 7–July 5, 2026 (for the July 6, 2018 action) and June 24– August 22, 2026 (for the August 23, 2018 action). DISTINCT from the March 2026 Section 301 excess-capacity investigations (which target 16 economies on overcapacity sectors) and from the June 2026 Section 301 forced-labor enforcement action (60 economies); this review is China-specific, IP/TT-focused, and mandated by the original Biden-era statutory clock under Section 304(c) of the Trade Act of 1974.

Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber executive committee (GECEX) issued Resolution No. 794 on 25 September 2025, published in the Diário Oficial da União on 26 September 2025, revoking Ex-Tarifário duty exemptions on six specific tariff-line items spanning three prior ex-tarifário annexes: one Information Technology/Telecommunications line (NCM 9032.89.82, Ex 043, under Resolução Gecex 323/2022), and five Capital Goods lines covering mining-boring machinery (NCM 8430.41.20, Ex 015/025/050, under Resolução Gecex 311/2022), machine-tools for stone/ceramics working (NCM 8464.10.00, Ex 059), industrial washing/cleaning machinery parts (NCM 8450.90.10, Ex 029/032/033) and refrigeration-equipment parts (NCM 8418.99.00, Ex 048) (all under Resolução Gecex 322/2022). The affected lines revert from the reduced Ex-Tarifário rate (typically 0%) to Brazil's standard Mercosur Common External Tariff (TEC) rate, effective 60 days after publication (25 November 2025) — the date Global Trade Alert records as implementation.

Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber executive committee (GECEX) issued Resolution No. 745, dated 3 July 2025 and published in the Diário Oficial da União on 4 July 2025 (Edition 124, Section 1, page 38), amending Annex I of Resolução Gecex nº 322/2022 — the Ex-Tarifário regime granting temporary duty reductions (typically to 0%) on capital- goods tariff lines with no equivalent domestic production. Sources describe roughly 429 ex-tarifário grants processed under the amendment (a mix of new and republished duty-free codes), alongside a smaller set of exclusions/revocations from the annex; the duty-free grants carry a temporary revocation date of 31 December 2025. The amendment took effect 11 July 2025 (seven days after publication). Global Trade Alert classifies the measure as a "Red" (trade-restrictive/ discriminatory) import-tariff intervention, consistent with its treatment of GECEX's narrow, discretionary Ex-Tarifário product-line grants as favouring specific importers rather than liberalising trade economy-wide.

New Zealand Customs Service, acting under section 8 of the Tariff Act 1988, published Tariff Concession Approvals, Withdrawals and Declines Notice (No. 17) 2025 in the Gazette on 4 July 2025. The notice grants new duty-free tariff concessions on goods across tariff items 3919-9405 (adhesive tapes and films, fibreglass products, industrial machinery, heating/cooling equipment, electronic controls and marine vessels) not manufactured domestically, effective 1 July 2025, while withdrawing a comparable set of prior concession approvals effective 30 June 2025. This is a routine, periodic administrative tariff-concession cycle rather than a discrete policy announcement.

New Zealand Customs Service, acting under section 8 of the Tariff Act 1988, published Tariff Concession Approvals, Withdrawals and Declines Notice (No. 18) 2025 in the Gazette on 4 July 2025. The notice withdraws 16 previously approved duty-free tariff concessions spanning laminated films, building panels, filtering and aggregate-processing equipment, thermostatic valves, railway safety systems and anti-pollution barriers, effective 14 days from publication, with importers given one calendar month to lodge objections. This is a routine, periodic administrative tariff-concession withdrawal cycle rather than a discrete policy announcement.

The Australian Border Force published Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. TC 25/25 on 2 July 2025 under sections 269K and 269R of the Customs Act 1901, covering new Tariff Concession Order (TCO) applications and TCOs made for goods not produced domestically (solvents, adhesives, geotextiles, ceramics, glass fibre fabric, HDPE/LLDPE resins, subsea and rail hardware), each carrying a 5% general-tariff duty-free concession, plus revocations and a cheese quota allocation notice. This is a routine, periodic administrative tariff-concession cycle rather than a discrete policy announcement.

The Australian Border Force published Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. TC 25/22 on 11 June 2025 under sections 269K, 269R and 269SE of the Customs Act 1901. The gazette lists new Tariff Concession Order (TCO) applications, eight TCOs made (moving corrosion inhibitors, compostable- film polymers, furnace cooling systems, aseptic food-processing machinery, reverse-osmosis filters, oilfield drilling parts and pallet-manufacturing robotics from the 5% general tariff rate to duty-free), one withdrawn application, and five local-manufacturer-initiated TCO revocations (reinstating the 5% general tariff rate on steel access-box, formwork and crown-seal products effective 22-24 January 2025). This is a routine, periodic administrative tariff-concession cycle rather than a discrete policy announcement.

Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber executive committee (GECEX) issued Resolution No. 726, signed 20 May 2025 and published in the Diário Oficial da União on 21 May 2025, amending the Annex I tariff schedule set by Resolution Gecex No. 322 (4 April 2022). The measure eliminates import duties (reducing to 0%) on 256 capital-goods items spanning 107 six-digit NCM tariff codes, and raises import duties on 9 capital-goods items across 9 six-digit NCM codes, for a combined 274 affected tariff lines. The changes took effect 28 May 2025, one week after publication. Global Trade Alert classifies the measure "Red" (trade-restrictive) overall and flags Austria, Belgium and Canada among the trading partners most exposed by historical trade volume in the affected pumps, compressors, industrial-oven and furnace, and lifting/handling equipment lines.