MTB Update: Final MTB Report Released
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) released the final Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) Report today, and Congress will use the Report to prepare MTB legislation expected this fall.

MTBs provide temporary tariff relief for products that are not available in the U.S. like certain chemicals, machinery, equipment, footwear, and apparel. In November and December, FDRA filed MTB requests on behalf of Member companies, and more than 200 footwear tariff relief requests were filed. All of the current MTBs expire on December 31, 2020, and Congress must act before the end of the year to prevent this key duty-saving tool from lapsing.

In June, FDRA also held a deep-dive webinar on the MTB process. If you missed the webinar, you can view the recording on the Customs & Trade Working Group page in the Intel Center here. (to access it, you need to register for a password for the Intel Center)
Next FDRA Member Weekly Check-In Call on August 11th
FDRA will hold our next coronavirus call on Tuesday, August 11th at 2:00 p.m. EDT. This call is for FDRA Members only.

We have renamed the call the "FDRA Member Weekly Check-In Call" to cover the many footwear issues that have arisen over the past few months in addition to the ongoing coronavirus situation and the economic response.

We have also created a one-time call signup for the rest of the year. You can join via computer or phone, and please register for the one-time signup for weekly calls here if you have not already:
Intellectual Property: Take Action Now
FDRA has launched a new website, Fight Footwear Fakes, dedicated to raising awareness on shoe intellectual property issues and fighting the surge of counterfeit footwear. During times of economic uncertainty, counterfeit footwear only increases. Therefore it is critical that Congress works now to prioritize efforts to strengthen IP protection, increase accountability for bad actors, and close CBP enforcement gaps and loopholes. We encourage you to take 30 seconds to send a letter to Congress on footwear IP.
Past FDRA Member Weekly Check-In Call Recordings
FDRA Members can view past FDRA Member Weekly Check-In calls here: FDRA Intel Center (You need to register and create a password to access).