USTR Announces Fiscal Year 2026 WTO Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar, and Sugar-Containing Products - U.S. International Trade Representative
WASHINGTON – The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) today announced the country-specific and first-come, first-served in-quota allocations of the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on imported raw cane sugar, refined sugar, and sugar-containing products for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The TRQs are allocated based on historical trade volumes.
TRQs allow countries to export specified quantities of a product to the United States at a relatively low tariff, but subject all imports of the product above a pre-determined threshold to a higher tariff. For clarity, all imports, whether within or over a U.S. TRQ, are subject to tariffs imposed by relevant executive orders issued pursuant to the President’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
On July 17, 2025, the Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Administrator) announced the establishment of the in-quota quantity for raw cane sugar for FY 2026. The in-quota quantity for the TRQ on raw cane sugar for FY 2026 is 1,117,195 metric tons raw value (MTRV)*, which is the minimum amount to which the United States is committed under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement. Based on countries’ historical shipments to the United States, USTR is allocating the raw cane sugar TRQ of 1,117,195 MTRV to the following countries in the quantities specified below:
The allocations of the raw cane sugar WTO TRQ to countries that are net importers of sugar are conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin. Certificates for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country for which an allocation has been provided.
On July 17, 2025, the Administrator also announced the establishment of the in-quota quantity of the FY 2026 refined sugar TRQ at 22,000 MTRV. This quantity, for which the sucrose content, by weight in the dry state, must have a polarimeter reading of 99.5 degrees or more, includes the minimum amount to which the United States is committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreement, 22,000 MTRV, of which 20,344 MTRV is established for any sugars, syrups and molasses, and 1,656 MTRV is reserved for specialty sugar. The U.S. Trade Representative is allocating the refined sugar TRQ as follows: 10,300 MTRV to Canada, 2,954 MTRV to Mexico, and 7,090 MTRV to be administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, the U.S. Trade Representative is allocating the 1,656 MTRV of specialty sugar to be administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
This year USDA elected not to add any additional specialty sugar to the refined sugar TRQ. (Last year, USDA had added 210,000 MTRV of specialty sugar to the FY 2025 refined sugar TRQ, of which Brazil accounted for nearly 50 percent of imports.)
With respect to the in-quota quantity of 64,709 metric tons (MT) of the TRQ for imports of certain sugar-containing products maintained under Additional U.S. Note 8 to chapter 17 of the HTSUS, USTR is allocating 59,250 MT to Canada. The remainder, 5,459 MT of the in-quota quantity, is available for other countries on a first-come, first-served basis.
Raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products for FY 2026 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 2025.
* Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.
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CPSC Withdraws Rules That Are Outdated, Fail to Advance Safety; New Leadership Focuses on Hazards That Pose Real Risks - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced it will withdraw several existing and pending rulemakings that no longer align with agency priorities, and which fail to advance safety. These include proposed rulemakings that have remained on the agency’s rulemaking agenda for years without final action; and instances where Congress has provided clear direction to the Commission to not finalize specific rules.
This move signals a fundamental shift under CPSC’s new leadership to focus sound science, robust data, and common sense. Going forward, the Commission will act where mandatory standards are truly necessary and the evidence shows federal intervention will meaningfully advance safety.
"Regulations that promote unscientific agendas, impose unnecessary costs, and reduce competition are no longer agency priorities,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman. “We will not squander limited resources on rules that diminish consumer choice or hand unfair market advantages to foreign competitors at the expense of American consumers and manufacturers.”
The Commission is withdrawing several pending rulemakings where it does not intend to issue final rules, including:
• Safety Standard Addressing Blade-Contact Injuries on Table Saws (76 Fed. Reg. 62678);
• Standard for Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (74 Fed. Reg. 55495);
• Safety Standard for Debris Penetration Hazards (87 Fed. Reg. 43688);
• Information Disclosure Under Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (79 Fed. Reg. 10712);
• Disclosure of Interests in Commission Proceedings (88 Fed. Reg. 67127); and
• Banned Hazardous Substances: Aerosol Duster Products Containing More Than 18 mg in Any Combination of HFC-152a and/or HFC-134a (89 Fed. Reg. 61363).
The Commission also has directed staff to take necessary steps to rescind two outdated rules governing citizens band radio antennas, which have no relevance to modern consumer products, and Eisenhower-era refrigerator safety mandates aimed at models that have not been produced in over 50 years. The Commission is also rescinding its guidance on the value of statistical life, which departs from the practices of every other federal agency, inflates claimed regulatory benefits, and jeopardizes the legal viability of any rulemaking that relies on it.
Earlier this year, the Commission formally concluded its review of a request for information on gas stoves initiated during the Biden Administration, without further action. Under new leadership, the Commission has made clear it will not regulate gas stove emissions or ban this product category, consistent with President Trump’s agenda and his commitment to preserve the freedom of the American people to choose from a full range of goods and appliances.
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Federal Register Notices:
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Certain Freight Rail Couplers and Parts Thereof From India: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation
• Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Determinations, Investigations, etc.: Certain Freight Rail Couplers and Parts Thereof From the Czech Republic and India: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Heavy Walled Rectangular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Mexico: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2022-2023; Correction
• Oil Country Tubular Goods From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Orders
• Quartz Surface Products From India and the Republic of Türkiye: Final Results of the Expedited First Sunset Reviews of the Countervailing Duty Orders
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Certain Rechargeable Batteries and Components and Packaging Thereof; Notice of a Commission Determination Not To Review an Initial Determination Terminating the Investigation as to the Last Active Respondents Based on Settlement; Request for Briefing on Remedy, the Public Interest, and Bonding
• Certain Foreign-Fabricated Semiconductor Devices, Products Containing the Same, and Components Thereof; Notice of Commission Determination Not To Review an Initial Determination To Amend the Complaint and Notice of Institution
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Thailand: Preliminary Results and Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024
• Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review
• Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination, and Alignment of Final Determination With Final Antidumping Duty Determination
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Belgium: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024
• Unwrought Palladium From the Russian Federation: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation
• Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews
• Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks From Italy: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2023
• Certain Paper Plates From the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Circumvention Inquires on the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders
• Finished Carbon Steel Flanges From Spain: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024
• Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Determinations, Investigations, etc." Unwrought Palladium From the Russian Federation: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation
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CBP Uncovers More than $400 Million in Duty Evasion by Bad Actors Who Undercut American Workers - USCBP
CBP investigated its largest EAPA case ever, worth more than $250 million in revenue
WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today announced two major trade enforcement wins under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA), which authorizes CBP to investigate and stop duty evasion schemes like illegal transshipment. These wins delivered a decisive blow to bad actors using unfair trade practices to undercut American workers and industries.
From January 20 to August 8, 2025, CBP uncovered more than $400 million in unpaid trade duties through EAPA investigations — a key tool to stop illegal transshipment and other schemes designed to cheat the system. In that same period, CBP identified 89 cases with reasonable suspicion of duty evasion.
“CBP’s EAPA program is a critical component of our trade enforcement efforts. We’re working tirelessly to prevent evasion and ensure a level playing field for U.S. companies,” said Rodney Scott, CBP Commissioner. “Our mission, under the leadership of President Trump, is to support economic fairness, protect domestic industry, and uphold the integrity of U.S. supply chains.”
EAPA exposes companies that dodge antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) — trade measures that prevent foreign producers from flooding U.S. markets with goods sold below fair value or propped up by unfair subsidies. Companies often try and circumnavigate duties by using illegal transshipment, routing goods through third countries to disguise origin and sidestep duties.
CBP’s also investigated the largest EAPA case in its history — a sweeping investigation into 23 U.S. importers and a network of Chinese shell companies funneling goods through Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam. Uncovered on May 29, 2025, the scheme identified more than $250 million in revenue owed — a figure expected to rise as the probe expands.
“Never before has CBP identified this many importers evading AD/CVD in a single consolidated EAPA investigation,” said Susan S. Thomas, acting Executive Assistant Commissioner for CBP’s Office of Trade. “The revenue identified for collection exceeds $250 million, but this figure may increase as we uncover additional importers in the scheme.”
CBP’s enforcement teams carried out port inspections, analyzed trade data, and conducted on-the-ground verifications in Indonesia and Taiwan. Every importer investigated was found in violation, more companies were exposed, and new evasion tactics uncovered.
CBP will continue to pursue EAPA violators, dismantle transshipment networks, and safeguard U.S. supply chains. Results of this and other EAPA investigations are available on the EAPA website. Additionally, the public can report suspected trade violations at eallegations.cbp.gov.
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Treasury Sanctions Notorious Costa Rican Narcotraffickers - U.S. Department of Treasury
WASHINGTON — Today (08/18/25), the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four Costa Rican nationals, as well as two Costa Rica-based entities, for their involvement in narcotics trafficking and money laundering. A key global cocaine transshipment hub, Costa Rica has become an increasingly significant waypoint for criminal groups trafficking cocaine into the United States. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), cocaine continues to pose a serious threat to the public, causing over 22,000 overdose deaths in the United States in the 12-month period ending in October 2024.
“Drug cartels are poisoning Americans and making our communities more dangerous by trafficking cocaine, often laced with fentanyl, into the United States,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. “The sanctions being issued today target key drug smugglers involved in transporting drugs into the United States. Treasury, in close coordination with U.S. law enforcement and our Costa Rican partners, will continue to use all available tools to disrupt narcotrafficking organizations that threaten the safety of Americans.”
Today’s action is the culmination of a coordinated investigation with the DEA San José Country Office, the DEA Dallas Field Office, and Costa Rica’s Office of the Attorney General.
DRUG TRAFFICKING CONTINUES TO DRIVE VIOLENCE
Costa Rica continues to see increasing rates of violence, primarily driven by criminal organizations competing for control of drug trafficking routes. Data shows that 2024 was the second-most violent year on record for Costa Rica, and the data for 2025 thus far indicates the country is on pace for a similarly violent year. Costa Rican security and police officials attribute the increase in violence to drug trafficking organizations fighting over control of territory in the country. One region of Costa Rica where violence has increased significantly is Limón, which recorded the highest homicide rate in the country in 2024. Since the 2019 opening of the Moín seaport in Limón, criminal groups have continued to fight for control the port and its surrounding territory to ship cocaine inside containers leaving the port.
Today’s action builds on OFAC’s previous collaboration with the DEA in Costa Rica. On November 15, 2023, OFAC designated one of the most prolific drug traffickers in Limón—Costa Rican narcotics trafficker Gilbert Hernan de Los Angeles Bell Fernandez (Bell)—pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 for the significant role he played in Costa Rica’s transformation into a major narcotics transit hub as well as the violence associated with his operations.
COUNTERING DRUG TRAFFICKING IN COSTA RICA .
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FTC Takes Action Against Ticket Resellers for Using Illegal Tactics to Bypass Ticket Limit Protections in Violation of Better Online Ticket Sales Act - Federal Trade Commission
The FTC alleges the defendants have bypassed Ticketmaster’s protections and purchased hundreds of thousands of tickets to resell at a significant markup
The Federal Trade Commission is suing a ticket broker operation for allegedly using unlawful tactics to exceed ticket purchasing limits for many popular events, including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and resell the tickets at significantly higher prices, generating millions in revenue.
“President Trump made it clear in his March Executive Order that unscrupulous middlemen who harm fans and jack up prices through anticompetitive methods will hear from us,” said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. “Today’s action puts brokers on notice that the Trump-Vance FTC will police operations that unlawfully circumvent ticket sellers’ purchase limits, ensuring that consumers have an opportunity to buy tickets at fair prices.”
The scheme is operated by Maryland-based ticket broker Key Investment Group and its affiliated companies, which have done business under such names as Epic Seats, TotalTickets.com LLC, and Totally Tix LLC, as well as Key Investment Group’s CEO, Yair D. Rozmaryn, Chief Financial Officer, Elan N. Rozmaryn, and Chief Strategic Officer, Taylor Kurth, according to the FTC’s complaint.
The FTC alleges that the operation uses a variety of tactics to bypass security measures implemented by Ticketmaster to block resellers from violating ticket purchasing limits. These security measures include monitoring whether purchases are associated with verifiable Ticketmaster accounts and unique credit cards and IP addresses. In addition, Ticketmaster sometimes requires purchasers to enter a code sent to their cell phone to verify their accounts.
The complaint alleges that the defendants were often able to bypass these protections by:
• using thousands of Ticketmaster accounts to purchase tickets, including fictitious and third-party accounts that the defendants purchased;
• utilizing thousands of virtual and traditional credit card numbers;
• hiding their identity by using proxy or spoofed IP addresses; and
• using SIM boxes to facilitate the receipt of verification codes sent to the phone numbers associated with the thousands of fake and third-party accounts they used to purchase tickets.
These tactics allowed the defendants to purchase at least 379,776 tickets in just over a year from Ticketmaster at a cost of nearly $57 million. Defendants resold a portion of those tickets on secondary marketplaces for approximately $64 million by, in many cases, charging a significant markup to consumers, according to the complaint.
For just one Taylor Swift concert, the defendants allegedly used 49 different accounts to purchase 273 tickets, dramatically exceeding the Eras Tour’s 2023 six-ticket purchase limit per event. They then resold those tickets at a significant markup.
The complaint alleges that the defendants violated the FTC Act and the Better Online Ticket Sales Act, which makes it illegal for any person to “circumvent a security measure, access control system, or other technological control or measure on an Internet website or online service that is used by the ticket issuer to enforce posted event ticket limits or to maintain the integrity of posted online ticket purchasing order rules.”
The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint was 3-0. The FTC filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Northern Division.
NOTE: The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the named defendants are violating or are about to violate the law and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The case will be decided by the court.