Josh Teitelbaum Quoted by Nikkei Asia on US Tariff Impact on SE Asia

For its article “Southeast Asia manufacturers sweat as U.S. mulls tougher tariff rules,” Nikkei Asia quoted Akin Gump public law and policy senior counsel Josh Teitelbaum.

The article discusses proposed reforms for eligibility under the U.S. General System of Preferences (GSP) that could be disadvantageous to some Southeast Asian countries. It notes that the GSP, which requires regular reauthorization by Congress, is pending renewal after its expiration at the end of 2020.

Teitelbaum, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles, Consumer Goods and Materials with the International Trade Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce, said that, if Congress misses its informal late-July deadline to pass the bipartisan innovation and competition legislative package, which includes GSP renewal, it likely would not be passed until after November’s elections.

He also said that proposed GSP eligibility changes should be balanced: “My preference would be that, since we're adding sticks to the program, we also add additional incentives, by expanding product eligibility including things like apparel. That would be a huge incentive for countries in Southeast Asia to try and comply with the program because that's one of their top exports to the United States.”