USTR initiated a Section 301 investigation on October 2, 2020, concerning Vietnam's acts, policies, and practices related to the import and use of illegally harvested or traded timber.

A Section 301 investigation is a U.S. trade-law process used to examine whether another government’s acts, policies, or practices are unreasonable, discriminatory, or burden U.S. commerce. In this case, the subject concerns Vietnam-related practices involving illegally harvested or traded timber. An investigation is not necessarily the same as a final trade remedy or additional duty.

Importers may be affected when their goods contain wood or timber connected to the country, supply chain, or conduct covered by a resulting action. The relevant professional terms include country of origin, tariff classification (HTSUS), scope, covered products, and entry documentation. Whether a product is actually affected depends on the final measure’s scope and the facts of the shipment, not merely on the product’s marketing description or the presence of wood.

What to check

• Check the official measure and any resulting notices to determine whether it is only an investigation or a final action, and read the product scope carefully.
• Confirm the product’s HTSUS classification and country of origin; do not assume that the wood’s source, assembly location, or seller location answers every origin question.
• Trace the timber supply chain and retain evidence such as supplier statements, harvest or legality documents, purchase records, and chain-of-custody information where relevant.
• Compare the shipment’s facts with the measure’s covered products, countries, exceptions, and entry requirements, and verify whether the measure applies to the relevant entry date.
• Ask a customs broker or trade counsel to review difficult origin, scope, valuation, or legality questions before entry.