Importer Asks to Drop Section 301 Tariff Challenge on Water Cooler Exclusion

Importer DS Services on May 19 asked the Court of International Trade to dismiss a case it brought challenging the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's decision not to reinstate a Section 301 tariff exclusion on water coolers even after the only opposing party on record withdrew its opposition comments. The company argued USTR violated the Administrative Procedure Act because the agency failed to both explain its decision and to back it with substantial evidence. USTR then requested a voluntary remand to reconsider (see 2209010023) but stuck by its decision in its December remand results (see 2212150043). DS Services declined to comment on the dismissal request (DS Services of America v. U.S., CIT # 22-00157).