Weekly Update: U.S. and El Salvador Announce New Trade Agreement to Deepen Economic Ties

The United States and El Salvador have reached a new trade agreement framework that will remove certain U.S. tariffs on Salvadoran exports and strengthen cooperation on trade, labor, environmental protections, and supply chain security, while El Salvador commits to removing non-tariff barriers and improving regulatory practices for U.S. goods and services.

• U.S. and Ecuador Reach New Reciprocal Trade Agreement to Boost Economic Ties: The United States and Ecuador have reached a new reciprocal trade agreement that will expand market access, reduce tariffs, address non-tariff barriers, strengthen labor and environmental protections, promote digital and services trade, and enhance economic and national security cooperation between the two countries. 

• U.S. and Guatemala Announce New Reciprocal Trade Agreement to Deepen Economic Ties: The United States and Guatemala have reached a new reciprocal trade agreement that will streamline regulations, remove non-tariff barriers, strengthen intellectual property, labor, and environmental protections, promote digital trade, and enhance economic and national security cooperation, with the U.S. set to lift certain tariffs on Guatemalan exports.

• U.S. and Argentina Forge New Trade and Investment Framework to Deepen Economic Ties: The United States and Argentina have announced a new reciprocal trade and investment agreement that will open markets, remove barriers, strengthen intellectual property, labor, and environmental protections, promote digital trade, and enhance economic and security cooperation, aiming to drive growth and innovation in both countries.

• FDA Shifts Import Messaging to Its Own Platform—CBP CSMS No Longer Used for Notifications: The FDA will now issue import notifications directly through its own automated email system instead of using CBP’s CSMS, and stakeholders can self-subscribe to receive these updates. 

• FWS Increases Scrutiny on Argentine Squid Shipments, Requests Additional Import Documentation: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now requesting additional documentation—such as harvest vessel details and shipping information—for certain squid imports from Argentina, in response to concerns over overfishing and illegal practices, so importers should be prepared to provide this information if asked.

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Enforce New Validations on e214 Submissions: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin strictly enforcing validations for FIRMS Codes, Zone IDs, and Port of Entry data on Foreign Trade Zone Admission (e214) submissions in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).

• CBP to Require Online Submission for Individual Broker License Applications Starting November 2025: Starting November 14, 2025, CBP will require all individual customs broker license applications and payments to be submitted online through the eCBP portal, while organization license applications will continue to follow the manual process until further notice.

• EPA Proposes Exemptions to PFAS Reporting Requirements Under TSCA: The EPA is proposing amendments to PFAS reporting regulations under TSCA that would introduce several exemptions—such as for de minimis levels, imported articles, byproducts, and small businesses—in order to reduce unnecessary compliance burdens while maintaining essential data collection, with public comments accepted until December 29, 2025.

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