Trade archive - The Capitol Forum

EU to Investigate Chinese Glass Fibre Mesh Imports via Balkans and Moldova, Sources Say

The European Commission is set to open an anti-circumvention investigation into imports of Chinese open-mesh fabrics of glass fibres entering the EU via three Balkan countries and Moldova, according to people familiar with the matter. The material is used in a range of industries,...

Jul 30, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: Commerce Committee to Mark Up Kids Online Safety Act; Public Interest Groups Prepare Suit Challenging Lifting of Broadcast Cap; European Grocery Chains Adopt Sovereign Payment System to Compete with Visa and Mastercard; Trump-aligned Lobbying Group Drops Micron; FCC Launches Enforcement Action Against Drone-maker with Chinese ties; California Audits Gig Economy Platforms

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jul 28, 2026 Read Now >

Despite Trump Threats to Pull Out of USMCA, Expected ‘Arrangements’ This Year—Plus Political and Economic Pressure—Should Leave Agreement in Place

President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the United States from its trilateral trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, but the agreement remains in place and the administration is likely to avoid a full withdrawal even as it pushes to secure new concessions by the end of the...

Jul 28, 2026 Read Now >

EU Machinery Industry Warns of Chinese Rivals Offering Products 43% Cheaper

A leading European industrial association of mechanical engineering firms is sounding the alarm over Chinese competitors, telling The Capitol Forum they undercut EU producers by offering products at unsustainably low...

Jul 27, 2026 Read Now >

EU Weighs Delaying Chemical Probes Over China Talks, Trading Partner Backlash Concerns, Sources Say

The European Commission is considering delaying two investigations into global chemical imports over concerns that launching the probes in the coming weeks could complicate ongoing EU talks with Beijing and further strain relations with key trading partners, according to three people...

Jul 24, 2026 Read Now >

Parliament Negotiator Aims to Tighten Foreign Investment Rules in Drive to Support EU Manufacturers

A lead negotiator on the EU’s proposal to strengthen the bloc’s manufacturing base in renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles and critical raw materials wants tougher criteria for mostly Chinese investors seeking to take big stakes in European...

Jul 23, 2026 Read Now >

Staffing Shortages Force EU Executive to Delay Four Trade Probes, Sources Say

The European Commission’s trade defense directorate has reached its capacity for launching new cases in the coming weeks, forcing the EU executive to postpone four trade defense investigations that were ready to launch in mid-July, according to four people familiar with the...

Jul 22, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: Consumer Electronics Snarled by Trump’s Tariffs on Canada; eBay Complains Customs Rules Threaten Sales; House Lawmakers Seek Ways to Mitigate Shutdown Effects as Funding Deadline Approaches; Volvo Given Green Light to Sell Connected Vehicles in U.S. While Polestar Denied; Anthropic Settlement May Provide Guidelines for Future Settlements in AI Copyright Cases

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jul 21, 2026 Read Now >

Commerce Department’s National Security Watchdog Grants UAE Firm with History of Tech Transfers to China Access to Sensitive AI Chips Even as Agency Chief Says Enforcement Understaffed

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a rule that grants G42, United Arab Emirates-controlled with alleged history of technology transfers to China, license-free access to advanced U.S. artificial intelligence...

Jul 15, 2026 Read Now >

EU Weighs Compliance Fee on Imported Goods as Chinese Shipments Surge, Sources Say

Following the introduction this month of a €3 handling fee for low-value parcels, the European Commission is also considering a fixed charge to cover safety and compliance checks on imported goods, particularly those arriving from China, according to people familiar with the...

Jul 15, 2026 Read Now >

Labor Weekly: Proposed Kroger-Giant Eagle Merger Would Tighten Regional Unionized Labor Markets; USMCA Non-Renewal Presents Moment of Opportunity for Unions; Department of Labor Targets October for Independent Contractor Rule; Walmart Pays $13 Million to End Texas Labor Probe; Labor Board Affirms Bargaining Order at Amazon Staten Island Warehouse

Welcome to Labor Thursday, our weekly overview of competition and labor market issues. Key stories we’re following this week include: • Kroger/Giant Eagle: Merger threatens to reduce union bargaining leverage in echo of aborted Albertsons deal. • USMCA non-renewal presents an...

Jul 09, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: Supreme Court Lets Texas Age Verification Law Stand—For Now; Tech Firms Push for USMCA Renewal; Senate Commerce to Markup Kids’ Online Safety Bill; Receiver Looks to Sell Jupiter Systems Before Company Runs Out of Cash; New Jersey Goes After Data Brokers

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the Courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jul 07, 2026 Read Now >

EU Weighs Quotas and Price Floors on Electrical Steel Imports, Mainly From China

Global exporters of grain-oriented electrical steel to the EU could face a combination of quotas and minimum import prices of up to €5,600 a ton under a safeguard measure being developed by the European Commission, according to an internal document seen by The Capitol...

Jul 07, 2026 Read Now >

EU to Target Chinese Agricultural Imports with Peking Duck Probe, Sources Say

The European Union is preparing to open an anti-dumping investigation into imports of Chinese Peking duck, according to people familiar with the matter. The move could reignite trade tensions between Brussels and Beijing just one week after the two sides began talks aimed at easing...

Jul 07, 2026 Read Now >

The Asia Antitrust Agenda: Region Bracing for ‘Summer of Actions’ as U.S., China Vie for Upper Hand on Trade; Apple Alleges Complaint Copying in India App Probe; Korea Investigates Alleged Abuse in K-pop Market; UK Blocks Shenzhen HYT from Buying TTG Global Solutions on National Security Grounds

The Asia Antitrust Agenda is a biweekly column showcasing key regulatory developments in the region. Key stories we’re following for this edition include: Businesses to swelter in heat from summer geopolitical tensions. China issues rules governing industrial and supply chain security...

Jul 06, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: KIDS Act Passes House But Faces Tougher Reception in Senate; Smaller Satellite Services Vie for Market Share; New Rules on De Minimus Strengthen Enforcement; Class Action Against DRAM Makers Could Indicate Next Wave of Memory Litigation

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the...

Jun 30, 2026 Read Now >

EU Not Yet Ready to Open China Hybrid Probe Despite Rising Imports, Sources Say

The European Commission has for months been weighing whether to open an investigation into rapidly rising imports of Chinese plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. However, senior commission officials, speaking to The Capitol Forum on condition of anonymity, said a probe was not...

Jun 26, 2026 Read Now >

USMCA Update: Canada Appears Open to a Deal with the U.S. to Allow U.S. Airlines to Enter Consolidated Canadian Market

Canadian trade negotiators are exploring a deal with the U.S. that would relax the current prohibition on foreign airlines operating domestic flights, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to The Capitol Forum on the condition of...

Jun 25, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: Updates on Kids Online Safety Act Negotiations; Comcast Campaigns Against Nexstar/Tegna; Senate Dems Propose Ex-Im Revamp, Bosch Settles Over Huawei Shipments; xAI Faces Canadian Scrutiny

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the Courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jun 23, 2026 Read Now >

EU Faces Pressure to Extend Probe to Protect Transformer Makers, Sources Say

The EU steel industry is pressing the European Commission to widen the scope of the bloc’s safeguard investigation into potentially harmful imports of grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) to include material used in finished power transformers, according to three people familiar with...

Jun 23, 2026 Read Now >

Labor Weekly: HSR Changes Aimed at Acquihires Would Harm Innovation, Labor Mobility, Tech Groups Say; Minerals, Gold Mine Newest Target of USCMA Rapid Response Mechanism; Labor Board Orders Milestone Whole Foods Union Bargaining; Teamsters and DOJ File for End to Federal Oversight

Welcome to Labor Thursday, our weekly overview of competition and labor market issues. Key stories we’re following this week...

Jun 18, 2026 Read Now >

EU Needs Plan to Counter Potential Chinese Retaliation Over Trade Curbs, Diplomats Say

Beijing’s potential retaliation against planned EU curbs on Chinese imports is the chief concern among member states, EU diplomats...

Jun 18, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: L.A. County Report Likely to Add Fuel to States’ Challenge of Paramount/Warner Bros. Merger; Coupang Hit with Record Penalty Despite U.S. Pressure; Defense Contractors Face Ban on Chinese Parts; Expert Scrum Could Shape Collusion Jurisprudence

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the Courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jun 16, 2026 Read Now >

Poland Backs Push to Tighten EU Trade Defense Regime Ahead of Leaders’ Summit on China

Poland has joined a group of EU countries calling for an urgent overhaul of the bloc’s trade defense instruments to deal with rising imports of underpriced goods from China and other countries, according to three people familiar with the...

Jun 12, 2026 Read Now >

EU to Open Probe into Chinese Chemical Imports as Dumping Pressure on Industry Intensifies, Sources Say

The European Commission is preparing to open an anti-dumping investigation into imports of certain polyether polyols from China, according to two people familiar with the matter. The move is part of a broader effort to curb what Brussels sees as a surge in unfairly priced chemical imports...

Jun 09, 2026 Read Now >

EU Plans to Tighten Steel Import Limits Beyond Planned 47% Reduction, Sources Say

EU duty-free steel imports could, in practice, fall by more than the initially proposed 47% under a new quota mechanism due to enter into force on July 1, according to two people familiar with the matter. The European Commission plans to set aside a portion of that quota, which could...

Jun 09, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: USTR Revamps China Trade Approach; Ex-DOJ Officials Call for Live Nation Breakup; Common Crawl Hit with Cease-and-Desist Warning Canada Backs Down On Streamers; Sinclair Still Has Eyes on Scripps; House Committee to Examine NFL Antitrust Exemption

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the Courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jun 09, 2026 Read Now >

The Asia Antitrust Agenda: China Tightens Oversight of Outbound Investment; Apple Supplier Fined for Gun-Jumping; Focus Media Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Monopoly; Korea Fair Trade Commission to Set Up Investigative Arm; Japanese Regulator Urged to Study AI Monopoly Risk; New Zealand Grocery Sector Remains Highly Concentrated Ahead of Costco’s Arrival

Welcome to The Asia Antitrust Agenda, compiled by Eliot Gao, Huayang Chen and Jasmine Chen Rui. This week, China moves to increase scrutiny of overseas investment as the U.S. imposes fresh restrictions on computer chip sales to Chinese entities. Also, Japan’s antitrust regulator is...

Jun 08, 2026 Read Now >

EU Proposal on Aluminum Scrap Curbs Faces Delay Over India Concerns, Sources Say

The European Commission is likely to delay its proposal to curb exports of aluminum scrap until early summer, three people familiar with the matter told The Capitol Forum. A main reason for the postponement is officials’ concerns that the proposal might strain relations with India after...

Jun 04, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: Survival of Texas App Store Accountability Act Could Encourage Other States; FCC Poised to Lift Ownership Cap; Vietnam Trade Probe Could Trigger Increased Tariffs on Electronics; Student-athletes Left Out of Cruz-Cantwell NCAA Antitrust Discussion; Vermont Passes Privacy Measure, But Will Governor Sign?

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the Courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jun 02, 2026 Read Now >

EU to Open China Dumping Probe into Key Chemical Imports, Sources Say

The European Commission is set to open a new anti-dumping investigation into Chinese imports of polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), a biodegradable plastic, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The move aims to shield EU production of another key chemical in the value...

Jun 02, 2026 Read Now >

EU Preparing Anti-Dumping Probe into Chinese Welded Mesh Fiber Imports, Sources Say

The European Commission is poised to open a new anti-dumping investigation into imports of welded mesh fibers from China, according to two people familiar with the matter. The move is part of a broader push by Brussels to curb a surge in low-cost Chinese goods that officials say is...

Jun 01, 2026 Read Now >

Ocean Carriers Breaking Federal Law to Raise Profits Amid Iran War, Industry Groups Claim

Major ocean carriers are using Iran-war-related disruptions as cover to charge fees that exceed their increased costs in defiance of U.S. shipping laws. The practice mirrors the carriers’ behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Red Sea crisis, when carriers exploited disruptions...

May 22, 2026 Read Now >

Corteva: Justice Department Filing Highlights Unique Seed Industry Consolidation Vulnerabilities

A Department of Justice filing in a legal battle that could determine whether competitors can break into the concentrated seeds industry underlined the patent system’s role in entrenching dominant players at the top of the market. The lawsuit, between startup biotech firm Inari...

May 19, 2026 Read Now >

Corteva: Justice Department Filing Highlights Unique Seed Industry Consolidation Vulnerabilities

A Department of Justice filing in a legal battle that could determine whether competitors can break into the concentrated seeds industry underlined the patent system’s role in entrenching dominant players at the top of the...

May 19, 2026 Read Now >

Volvo Car, Polestar—European Automakers with Chinese Ties—Face Ban from U.S. Market Over Wireless Connection Rule

Volvo Car (VOLCAR-B) and Polestar (PSNY)—two automakers with ties to Chinese ownership—face potential exclusion from the U.S. market under a national security rule covering virtually every modern vehicle that targets not just where cars are built or who writes their software, but who...

Apr 09, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: Profit Boom for Memory Chip Oligopoly Set to Continue in Short Term as Sources in National Security Community Say Policymakers are Unlikely to Soften Stance Toward Chinese Memory Chip Companies

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the Courts. In this edition: National Security Outlook: Profit boom for memory chip oligopoly set to continue in short term: Sources in...

Feb 25, 2026 Read Now >

EU Likely to Publish Industrial Accelerator Act Next Week Despite Internal Divisions, Sources Say

The European Commission is expected to proceed next week with the publication of its Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), despite significant internal resistance, according to three people familiar with the matter. The proposal, drafted by the commission’s industry and internal market...

Feb 20, 2026 Read Now >

Berlin’s China Dilemma Tests Europe’s Push for ‘Buy European’ Strategy

Germany’s deep economic integration with China, particularly in the automotive and chemicals sectors, has emerged as a major obstacle to Europe’s shift towards more protectionist trade and investment policies, a Capitol Forum analysis shows. Resistance is also building among EU member...

Feb 11, 2026 Read Now >

EU Plans Major Sanctions Overhaul Targeting Russian Oil, LNG and Evasion Routes, Draft Proposal Shows

With Russia’s war in Ukraine nearing its fourth anniversary, the European Commission has proposed a new sanctions package that would enable a full ban on maritime services for Russian crude oil, remove the crude oil price cap, prohibit LNG terminal services for Russian entities, and...

Feb 11, 2026 Read Now >

EU Commission Set to Reject Dumping Complaint Against Chinese Steel Imports

In an unusual move, the European Commission is planning to reject a dumping complaint against Chinese imports of alloy tool steel, according to a note published in its documents register. Trade lawyers working on similar cases, speaking to The Capitol Forum on condition of anonymity, said...

Jan 05, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: USTR Delivering Big Wins for Big Tech; Experts See Challenges to State AG Effort to Pause HPE/Juniper Integration; Uber, Yardi, RealPage Litigation Updates; Apple vs. App Store Legislation; Massachusetts Privacy Bill Outlook; Nexstar/Tegna Takes Another Hit; Bankers Concerned with AWS Security

We are always innovating here at The Capitol Forum, and we want to introduce our first edition of the new Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly. In this edition: Trade Policymakers Outlook: As trade fight between Trump and Europe over Europe’s digital sovereignty rages, Big Tech has already...

Dec 02, 2025 Read Now >

With Few Textual Requirements for USMCA Review, Trump Could Play It Safe or Go ‘Nuclear’

The text of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) provides few formal requirements for next year’s review, leaving stakeholders to envision a wide range of scenarios—from small tweaks around the edges to a full-scale renegotiation—and to attempt to align their proposed changes...

Nov 10, 2025 Read Now >

EU to Probe Chinese Thermal Paper Subsidies After Industry Complaint, Sources Say

The European Commission is set to open an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of lightweight thermal paper from China, according to people familiar with the matter. The move comes in response to a request from EU manufacturers seeking protection from what they claim are unfairly...

Nov 03, 2025 Read Now >

Brussels Set to Probe Chinese Tire Subsidies Amid EU Industry Complaint, Sources Say.

The European Commission is poised to launch an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese imports of passenger car and light truck tires, following a formal complaint from EU manufacturers, according to two people familiar with the matter. The surge in Chinese imports—fuelled by state...

Oct 31, 2025 Read Now >

SHEIN and Temu Look to Europe for Growth After End of De Minimis Exemption in U.S., Raising Concerns Among EU Policymakers

Chinese e-commerce companies Temu and SHEIN will no longer be able to rely on their low-cost direct-to-consumer model in the U.S. following the end of a trade exemption known as de minimis. As the companies look to Europe for growth, however, European policymakers are preparing to push...

Oct 06, 2025 Read Now >

EU to Propose Steep Tariffs on Excess Steel Imports to Curb Chinese Overcapacity and Re-engage with U.S.

Brussels is set to unveil a new trade instrument next week aimed at curbing tariff-free steel imports linked to global overcapacity, particularly from China. The move is also intended to lay the groundwork for negotiations with Washington over the removal of Trump’s tariffs that...

Oct 03, 2025 Read Now >

Trump’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection Has Dramatically Reduced Policing of Forced Labor Violations as the Agency Focuses More Resources on Tariffs

This article has been updated with a statement from Customs and Border Protection. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) policing of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) has fallen dramatically since the act was first implemented in 2022, according to publicly available...

Sep 12, 2025 Read Now >

Trump Pondering Executive Order Implementing ‘Transshipment’ Tariffs, Defining Non-Local Content Rules, as Soon as Next Week, Sources Say

President Donald Trump is pondering an executive order to define the percentage of content from high-tariff countries in imported goods that would trigger his recently announced 40% ‘transshipment’ tariffs, three sources familiar with the matter said. The administration on July 31...

Aug 21, 2025 Read Now >

USTR Fees on Chinese Ships Likely to Lead to Increase in Orders for Korean, Japanese, and European Shipbuilders, Experts Say; Shipping Industry Cartel Could Raise Prices, Increase Profits

New fees on Chinese ships proposed by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are likely to raise freight prices but are unlikely to generate significant revenue as companies will have multiple strategies available to avoid the fees, according to experts and industry members. ...

Jun 03, 2025 Read Now >

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