December 14, 2016, Law360

January 27, 2017, Washington International Trade Association

December 5, 2016, Law360

April 6, 2016, Global Policy Watch

We think a new trade enforcement tool is needed that would give US companies an opportunity to seek Trade Enforcement Advisory Opinions from the International Trade Commission (ITC).  We describe this proposal in an op-ed piece that was up on Politico today. Our proposal is that Congress should expand its use of Section 332 beyond...… Continue Reading

October 4, 2016, Council on Foreign Relations

September 21, 2017, Covington Alert

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) this week released its long-awaited Annual Report to Congress regarding foreign acquisitions of U.S. businesses reviewed by CFIUS in 2015. The report provides important data that yields insights into the types of transactions the Committee reviewed and the Committee’s treatment of those ...

September 14, 2017, Covington Alert

We are writing to provide our perspective on two significant developments involving the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”).

July 12, 2017, Law360

John Veroneau is quoted in a Law360 article regarding President Trump's appointment of Dennis Shea to serve as the deputy U.S. trade representative in Geneva. “The main focus of this administration has been the impact of China’s accession to the WTO," says Veroneau. “To the extent that there are concerns about the WTO these days, it’s often revolved around ...

June 23, 2017, Covington Alert

We are writing to provide our perspective on recent developments regarding the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”), including the plans of Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce significant legislation to reform CFIUS, and the operation of CFIUS in the first six months of the administration of President Donald Trump.

June 2017, Pratt's Energy Law Report

May 18, 2017, Global Policy Watch

On May 18, 2017, newly-confirmed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer formally notified Congress that President Trump intends to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Trump Administration has indicated that it will request public input on the “direction, focus, and content” of these negotiations, and will publish notice in the ...

May 18, 2017, Covington Alert

On May 18, 2017, newly confirmed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer formally notified Congress that President Trump intends to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Trump Administration has indicated that it will request public input on the “direction, focus, and content” of these negotiations, and will publish notice in the Federal Register regarding such input. In a letter to House and Senate leaders regarding this renegotiation, Lighthizer indicated that he would also “consult closely with Congress” in developing U.S. negotiating positions. Negotiations with Canada and Mexico will begin no earlier than August 16, 2017. The Administration’s announcement of renegotiation offers stakeholders a significant opportunity to engage with USTR, Congress, and other government bodies to ensure that their priorities are included in the U.S. negotiating positions.

April 28, 2017, Global Policy Watch

Just one week after launching a national security investigation of steel imports under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, President Trump has announced plans to institute a similar investigation regarding aluminum. In a memorandum of April 27, 2017, President Trump announced that the Secretary of Commerce had initiated an investigation under ...

April 27, 2017, Global Policy Watch

On April 26, 2017, the U.S.-based solar manufacturer Suniva, Inc. filed a petition for global safeguards with the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”). In particular, Suniva requests the imposition of tariffs on solar cells and the establishment of a minimum price for solar modules imported into the United States. The petition was filed under Section...… ...

April 27, 2017, Law360

John Veroneau is quoted in a Law360 article providing an analysis of the biggest international trade developments since President Trump took office. According to Veroneau, “Relative to the rhetoric around NAFTA, most people saw it as a fairly reasonable approach, and it reflected the fact that this is going to Congress, and Congress shares power with the ...

April 27, 2017, Covington Alert

On April 26, 2017, the U.S.-based solar manufacturer Suniva, Inc. filed a petition for global safeguards with the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”). In particular, Suniva requests the imposition of tariffs on solar cells and the establishment of a minimum price for solar modules imported into the United States. The petition was filed under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, which authorizes global safeguards investigations, also known as “escape clause” investigations. Throughout the proceedings, affected parties will have multiple opportunities to submit their views not only to the ITC but also to the Trump Administration, which will have the final say on any relief recommended by the ITC.

April 21, 2017, Global Policy Watch

On April 20, 2017, President Trump issued a memorandum announcing that the Secretary of Commerce had initiated an investigation to determine the effects of imported steel on national security. The investigation was initiated under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. I. Conduct of Section 232 Investigations Under Section 232, Secretary...… ...

April 21, 2017, Global Policy Watch

On Friday, April 14, the U.S. Department of Treasury published a widely anticipated semi-annual report detailing the foreign exchange practices of America’s major trading partners. Although he regularly called for China to be labeled as a “currency manipulator” as a candidate, President Donald J. Trump and his administration declined to use the occasion of ...

April 21, 2017, Covington Alert

On April 20, 2017, President Trump issued a memorandum announcing that the Secretary of Commerce had initiated an investigation to determine the effects of imported steel on national security. The investigation was initiated under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. While it remains to be seen what actions the Administration might ultimately take pursuant to the findings of the Section 232 investigation, the Administration’s invocation of this rarely used trade tool further suggests the Administration's interest in “Buy America” strategies.

March 31, 2017, Los Angeles Times

John Veroneau is quoted by the Los Angeles Times in an article regarding the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). According to Veroneau, the draft hardly qualifies as “protectionist and the first shots of a trade war. People may take issue with different items in the letter, but there’s nothing alarmist or ...

March 30, 2017, The Washington Post

John Veroneau is quoted by The Washington Post in an article regarding the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “Compared to some of the campaign rhetoric, the letter [to Congress] seemed quite reasonable and measured,” says Veroneau. “It didn’t strike me as suggesting a departure from the status quo in any ...

February 28, 2017, Politico

Politico references a Law360 article by John Veroneau and Catherine Gibson uncovering Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930 in a roundup of “hidden trade weapons” that can be used by President Trump. According to Veroneau and Gibson, they have “uncovered no public record relating to Section 338” since a telegram from Secretary of State Dean Acheson mentioned it ...

February 27, 2017, Financial Times

John Veroneau is quoted in a Financial Times article regarding exploration by the Trump Administration to circumvent the World Trade Organization’s dispute system. “There is growing frustration that this [WTO] system alone is not enough to get countries to honour their trade commitments,” says Veroneau. “It is clear that the Trump administration is sympathetic ...

February 3, 2017, Inside U.S. Trade

John Veroneau was a panelist at the Washington International Trade Association’s “Border Adjustment Taxes: Tax Reform and Trade” event and is quoted in an Inside U.S. Trade article examining the tax proposal. According to Veroneau, the WTO-consistency of the tax plan could influence its fate in the Congress, adding that a loss at the WTO would cut into any of ...

January 24, 2017, Global Policy Watch

During the 2016 presidential campaign, President Trump made clear his plans to chart a new course on U.S. trade policy. The first few days of his presidency indicate his commitment to follow through on these plans. In his Inaugural Address, President Trump included trade among the policy areas that would be guided by an “America...… Continue Reading

January 23, 2017, The Washington Post

John Veroneau is quoted by The Washington Post in an article regarding President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). According to Veroneau, the Trump administration could still pursue bilateral deals with individual countries, particularly Japan and Vietnam, that mirror the deals negotiated under the TPP. But he pointed out ...

January 15, 2017, South China Morning Post

South China Morning Post references a Law360 article by John Veroneau and Catherine Gibson uncovering Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930 which gives the president the ability to impose tariffs of up to 50 per cent and then, if escalation was required, block imports completely.

January 15, 2017, South China Morning Post

South China Morning Post highlights the re-discovery of Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930 by John Veroneau and Catherine Gibson in an article regarding Donald Trump’s ability to affect trade with China. 

January 11, 2017, Covington Alert

Late last week, a group of technology industry leaders, researchers, and former policymakers comprising the President’s Council on Science and Technology (“PCAST”) issued a report entitled Ensuring Long-Term U.S. Leadership in Semiconductors. The report concludes that China is seeking to reshape the global semiconductor industry in a manner that threatens U.S. leadership in that sector. Given the criticality of the semiconductor industry to U.S. national security, the report recommends a three-part strategy to (1) counter Chinese policy actions, (2) improve the business environment for U.S. semiconductor companies, and (3) help “catalyze transformative semiconductor innovation over the next decade.”

January 5, 2017, Financial Times

The Financial Times highlights a statute uncovered by John Veroneau and Catherine Gibson allowing presidents to impose tariffs on imports from countries found to “discriminate” against the U.S. in an article regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for trade policy. Veroneau and Gibson’s article on Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930 can be found here.

January 3, 2017, New York Law Journal

John Veroneau is quoted in a New York Law Journal article regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert Lighthizer to serve as the next U.S. trade representative. “As a practicing attorney, Bob has a concrete sense of the problems facing U.S. importers and exporters," Veroneau says. “And as someone who has grappled with trade policy for a long ...

December 14, 2016, Global Policy Watch

President-elect Trump’s expressed interest in possibly raising tariffs on imported goods has prompted considerable effort in trying to understand the scope of Presidential authority to raise tariffs. While the Congress has primary authority to set tariffs and the U.S. has made extensive international commitments to not raise tariffs, President-elect Trump will ...

October 17, 2016, Covington Alert

Effective today, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) has amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (“CACR”) and the U.S. Commerce department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) has amended the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) to expand permissible dealings involving Cuba, further easing the longstanding U.S. trade embargo and continuing a policy shift that the Obama Administration announced in December 2014.

Simultaneous with last Friday’s announcement of these changes, President Obama issued a Presidential Policy Directive that outlines a policy of “normalization” as to U.S.-Cuba relations. The directive states that the embargo — elements of which remain in place — is “outdated” and renews calls for Congress to lift the remaining restrictions.

October 3, 2016

WASHINGTON—Robert Wang has joined Covington as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Public Policy and Government Affairs practice resident in Washington.  Mr. Wang previously worked at the U.S. Department of State as a career Foreign Service Officer for more than 30 years, with postings in Mainland China (Beijing and Shanghai), Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, ...

July 21, 2016, Law360

John Veroneau is quoted in a Law360 article regarding reported BigLaw LDA filing numbers at the midyear point. According to Veroneau, Covington’s LDA filings “exceed our levels from a year ago, which is especially good in light of reports that overall federal lobbying expenditures are down this year.” He continues, “We are also very pleased with some very good ...

June 3, 2016, Financial Times

John Veroneau is quoted in a Financial Times article regarding Donald Trump’s plans to disrupt current trade agreements by imposing punitive tariffs on exports from China and Mexico. According to Veroneau, “There is no standing authority for a [US] president to raise tariffs.” He continues, “Tariffs are revenue measures and Congress has the power of the purse.”

May 31, 2016

WASHINGTON—Chambers USA has selected Covington for its 2016 Award for Excellence in International Trade. The Award for Excellence in International Trade is presented at Chambers USA’s annual awards dinner and awarded to one law firm. The award coincides with the release of the Chambers USA 2016 guidebook, in which Covington received a top-tier ranking nationally ...

April 20, 2016, Global Policy Watch

The United Steelworkers union (USW) on April 18 filed a petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) for the U.S. to invoke a global safeguard under Section 201 of U.S. trade law and impose tariffs of up to 50 percent on primary unwrought aluminum. This proceeding could have significant impacts on global aluminum producers...… Continue Reading

April 6, 2016, Politico

April 1, 2016, Council on Foreign Relations

January 13, 2016, Law360

John Veroneau is quoted by Law360 in an article discussing President Obama’s call for lawmakers to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership during his final State of the Union address. According to Veroneau, “Most of the business statements are qualified so far as they acknowledge there are some things that Congress is looking to have addressed in some way, shape or ...

October 6, 2015, Global Policy Watch

Yesterday, the twelve countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) announced that they have reached an agreement. While this represents a significant milestone after more than five years of intensive negotiations, there is still a long road ahead before this agreement can enter into force for the United States – from releasing text to ...

September 28, 2015, American Bar Association of Section of Antitrust Law

April 22, 2015, The Hill

Covington's Marney Cheek and John Veroneau wrote this article on Investor-state dispute settlement: "Recent calls by anti-trade groups to abandon investor-state arbitration (often referred to as “investor-state dispute settlement,” or ISDS) ignore the modern reality of the global economy and conjure images of Chicken Little’s warnings that the sky is falling. ...

April 22, 2015, The Hill

January 24, 2015, C-SPAN

Covington’s John Veroneau moderated a Washington International Trade Association panel discussing U.S. relations with Cuba, following President Obama’s December 2015 announcement that eased some ties between the two countries. Panelists discussed whether a full embargo lift was possible, commercial opportunities, and how the international community responded to ...

December 19, 2014, Bloomberg

 Arturo Valenzuela and John Veroneau are mentioned in the article on future business opportunities in Cuba: "Covington & Burling LLP, in response to Obama’s speech, started what it’s calling a Cuba Working Group “to assist clients in complying with changes in U.S. sanctions, taking advantage of new business opportunities, shaping additional policy changes by ...

December 17, 2014, Covington E-Alert

August 1, 2014, Law360

John Veroneau is quoted in this article regarding the news that WTO members have failed to convince a group of developing countries led by India to budge from their demands that enactment of a trade facilitation agreement over agricultural subsidies run in parallel with efforts to shield their domestic food security programs from legal challenges: “The fact ...

July 11, 2014, Covington Advisory

October 8, 2013, Law360

9/27/2013

WASHINGTON, DC, September 27, 2013 — Covington & Burling and George Washington University’s Cybersecurity Initiative yesterday co-hosted a program that examined the growing threat of economic and cyber espionage and the need to protect trade secrets. In conjunction with the event, Covington and GW’s Cybersecurity Initiative released an issue brief on the legal ...

April 25, 2013, Law360

April 11, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC, April 11, 2013 — Covington & Burling is pleased to announce that Gina Vetere has joined as special counsel in the firm’s international trade practice and public policy and government affairs practices. Ms. Vetere recently served as executive director of international intellectual property at the U.S. Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center ...

April 4, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC, April 4, 2013 — Richard Hertling, a veteran congressional staffer, is joining Covington & Burling’s global public policy and government affairs practice. Mr. Hertling brings more than 25 years of public policy and government affairs experience from serving in leadership roles on the staffs of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, the Senate ...

March 27, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC, March 28, 2013 — Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff addressed the complexity of cybersecurity threats at a program sponsored by Covington & Burling and The Chertoff Group. Mr. Chertoff is senior of counsel at Covington and chairman and founder ...

March 14, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC, March 14, 2013 — Congressman Howard Berman, a widely respected leader in the U.S. Congress, is joining Covington & Burling’s global public policy and government affairs practice. The addition of Rep. Berman, the former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, comes a week after Sen. Jon Kyl joined Covington’s public policy and government ...

March 6, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC, March 6, 2013 — Senator Jon Kyl, who recently left Congress as the second-highest ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate, is joining Covington & Burling’s global public policy and government affairs practice. “Senator Kyl’s deep knowledge and extraordinary legislative skills from his years as a senior leader in Congress make him ideally suited to ...

2/13/2013

WASHINGTON, DC, February 13, 2013 — The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) on Tuesday approved CNOOC Ltd.’s bid to acquire the U.S. assets of Canadian energy company Nexen Inc. It was the final regulatory hurdle in the $15.1 billion acquisition, the largest overseas investment ever by a Chinese company. Covington & Burling represented ...

December 28, 2012

BEIJING, December 28, 2012 — Chambers has named Covington & Burling as a finalist for the 2013 Chambers China Awards for Excellence in the International Trade category. The awards recognize preeminence in key practice areas and significant achievements over the past 12 months, including outstanding work, impressive strategic growth and excellence in client ...

December 27, 2012, Covington E-Alert

March 19, 2012

LONDON, 19 March, 2012 — Covington & Burling LLP received 46 individual mentions and 20 practice mentions in the Chambers Global 2012 edition. The guidebook, which ranks lawyers globally by pan-regional and country practice area, is designed to identify the most skilled legal practitioners based on the qualities most valued by clients. The Covington lawyers ...

October 18, 2011, Covington E-Alert

June 21, 2011, Covington E-Alert

6/10/2011

WASHINGTON, DC, June 10, 2011 — In presenting Covington & Burling LLP with the Chambers USA Award for Excellence in International Trade on June 9th, Chambers noted how the firm’s “comprehensive team covers the complete spectrum of international trade matters and clients benefit from the close-knit and interdisciplinary approach of the department's various ...

June 10, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC, June 10, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP received 123 individual mentions and 45 practice mentions in Chambers USA 2011. The guidebook, which ranks lawyers by state and national practice area, is designed to identify the most skilled legal practitioners based on the qualities most valued by clients. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...

April 4, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC, April 4, 2011 — John Veroneau, a partner at Covington & Burling LLP, recently testified before the Senate Finance Committee about the role that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation has in fostering global trade and investment. Mr. Veroneau, the former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and USTR General Counsel, told senators about the economic ...

February 22, 2011, Covington E-Alert

February 7, 2011, The Washington Times

September 30, 2010, Covington E-Alert

June 16, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC, June 16, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP received 112 individual mentions and 44 practice mentions in Chambers USA 2010. The guidebook, which ranks lawyers by state and national practice area, is designed to identify the most skilled legal practitioners based on the qualities most valued by clients. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...

April 27, 2010, Covington E-Alert

4/16/2010

WASHINGTON, DC, April 16, 2010 — Peter Trooboff was presented the Leonard J. Theberge Award for Private International Law by the American Bar Association Section of International Law last night during the Section’s Spring Meeting in New York. The award, given annually, honors Mr. Trooboff’s “distinguished, long-standing contributions to the development of ...

April 2010, Practical Latin American Tax Strategies

March 31, 2010, Covington Advisory

March 8, 2010, Covington E-Alert

March 3, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC, March 3, 2010 — John Veroneau, the former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and USTR General Counsel, testified today before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on international treaty obligations related to Section 211 of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1999. Mr. Veroneau’s testimony focused on steps the United States needs to take to comply ...

February 22, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC, February 22, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP is pleased to announce that Timothy P. Stratford, who most recently served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for China Affairs, has joined the firm as a partner. He will be resident in the firm’s Beijing office and will practice in the International Trade and Finance group. Mr. Stratford’s ...

September 29, 2009, Covington E-Alert

May 21, 2009, AEI Center for Regulatory and Market Studies

April 7, 2009, Covington E-Alert

April 1, 2009, Covington E-Alert

March 26, 2009, London Sovereign Wealth Management Conference

2/11/2009

WASHINGTON, DC, February 11, 2009 — Covington & Burling LLP is pleased to announce that Ambassador John K. Veroneau, who most recently served as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, has joined the firm’s international practice as a partner. Mr. Veroneau will be resident in Covington’s Washington office. At USTR, Mr. Veroneau had broad supervisory responsibility ...

February 5, 2009, Covington E-Alert

November 18, 2008, NYSE Euronext

November 14, 2008, American Society of International Law

November 13, 2008, Interview

November 13, 2008, Interview

November 13, 2008, Chatham House Annual Members Conference

May 15, 2008, Chicago Council on Global Affairs

April 29, 2008, Milken Institute Global Conference

April 29, 2008, Milken Institute Global Conference

March 27, 2008, Global Trade Council

March 12, 2008, White House press briefing

February 26, 2008, Bank of New York Mellon

2008, Threshold: Global Markets and Corporate Governance

October 24, 2007, U.S.-Russia Business Council

September 11, 2007, National Association of Business Economists

August 9, 2007, Colombia Business and Industry Association

August 3, 2007, Interview, New York Times

June 27, 2007, American Enterprise Institute

April 13, 2007, Peterson Institute for International Economics

April 12, 2007, Ex-Im Bank Annual Meeting

April 10, 2007, American Bar Association International Law Section

January 4, 2007, Citibank Latin America Leaders Summit

May 17, 2006, Testimony Before U.S. House Financial Services Committee

March 10, 2006, Wall Street Journal

March 2006, The China Business Review

October 2005, International Government Contractor

June 9, 2005, Bangor Daily News