Initiation of Section 301 Investigations: Acts, Policies, and Practices of Certain Economies Relating to Structural Excess Capacity and Production in Manufacturing Sectors
USTR Section 301 action · Investigation initiation
The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) has initiated investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 regarding the acts, policies, and practices of certain economies relating to structural excess capacity and production in certain manufacturing sectors. Key trading partners have developed production capacity untethered from the incentives of domestic and global demand. This excess capacity leads to, among others, overproduction and large or persistent trade surpluses, as well as underutilized and unused capacity, in manufacturing sectors. These investigations will focus on economies that appear to exhibit structural excess capacity and production in various manufacturing sectors, such as through large or persistent trade surpluses or underutilized or unused capacity: China, the European Union (EU), Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan, and India. The inter-agency Section 301 Committee is holding public hearings and seeking public comments in connection with these investigations. USTR will open dockets for submission of written comments and requests to appear at the hearings.
Frequently asked questions
What does Federal Register notice 2026-05214 — Initiation of Section 301 Investigations: Acts, Policies, and Practices of Certain Economies Relating to Structural… — require?
“The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) has initiated investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 regarding the acts, policies, and practices of certain economies relating to structural excess capacity and production in certain manufacturing sectors. Key trading partners have developed production capacity untethered from the incentives of domestic and global demand. This excess capacity leads to, among others, overproduction and large or persistent trade surpluses, as well as underutilized and unused capacity, in manufacturing sectors. These investigations will focus on economies that appear to exhibit structural excess capacity and production in various manufacturing sectors, such as through large or persistent trade surpluses or underutilized or unused capacity: China, the European Union (EU), Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan, and India. The inter-agency Section 301 Committee is holding public hearings and seeking public comments in connection with these investigations. USTR will open dockets for submission of written comments and requests to appear at the hearings.” Importers affected by this action should treat the full Federal Register text as authoritative before making entry or pricing decisions.
Who issued notice 2026-05214 and when does it take effect?
The Office of the United States Trade Representative issued notice 2026-05214. It was published on 17 Mar 2026; the notice states no single effective date, so the Federal Register text governs timing. Classified as a notice under the Other Section 301 Actions matter.
Where can I verify notice 2026-05214?
The authoritative text is the Federal Register document itself, reachable via the Source link on this page. ExportSonar mirrors metadata only (snapshot fetched 18 Oct 2026, 01:46 UTC); when the two differ, the Federal Register record wins.