CONFIRMED: Trump Admin Deferring Vietnam Tariffs
This afternoon the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its report entitled Section 301 Investigation: Report on Vietnam's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Currency Valuation. You can access the report here. Upon release of the report, the agency stated "USTR is not taking any specific actions in connection with the findings at this time but will continue to evaluate all available options."

Ambassador Lighthizer also released a statement saying, “Unfair acts, policies and practices that contribute to currency undervaluation harm U.S. workers and businesses, and need to be addressed. I hope that the United States and Vietnam can find a path for addressing our concerns.”

FDRA President & CEO Matt Priest testified last month before the Administration, strongly opposing any tariff action on Vietnamese-made footwear. Read Matt's hearing testimony.

For access to the full release, the underlying report, and the Federal Register Notice, click here.
This is without a doubt a big advocacy win for our industry. Thanks to all of you who provided feedback and vital information and supported our various advocacy efforts since the announcement of the investigation. We could not do it without you!

Team FDRA is in the process of reading and analyzing the report. We will have a full rundown of our analysis on the FDRA Member Weekly Check-In on Tuesday, January 19th at 2 PM EST. You can sign-up below.
FDRA Statement on Vietnam 301
FDRA President & CEO Matt Priest issued the following statement today, on the release of the Vietnam 301 Report:

With the announcement that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is not going to take tariff action on Vietnam in the closing days of the Trump Administration, the industry can now turn its attention towards advocating for more consumer-focused policies with the incoming Biden Administration. At the end of a tumultuous and uncertain time for those of us who value global trade and the ability of American footwear companies to sell products far and wide, my hope is that this advocacy win will turn into a more stable and predictable environment for our members in the months and years to come. FDRA companies stepped up big time over the past four years—signing letters, providing testimony, making calls—ensuring our collective industry’s voice was heard loud and clear. I am honored to work for such an active industry and look forward to our collective efforts in the coming years in support of all footwear companies.