Most COVID-19 Section 301 Exclusions Extended, 18 to Expire

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will extend most of the exclusions from Section 301 China tariffs on goods used to treat COVID-19 for six months, it said in a notice posted on the agency's website. For the 81 exclusions being extended, the new expiration date is May 31, 2022. All the exclusions were slated to expire Nov. 14, but USTR is allowing a "transition period" and that expiration date will be Nov. 30, it said.

The agency said it was considering extending the exclusions in August (see 2108260025) and provided a short-term extension (see 2109270044) to allow for further consideration of the public comments filed (see 2109270036). USTR is still considering whether to reinstate 549 previously granted exclusions from the tariffs (see 2110070041). Eighty of the COVID exclusions overlap with the broader review of Section 301 exclusions, the agency said recently (see 2110180049).