The United States remained the world’s largest services market and was the world’s leading exporter and importer of services in 2023*, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in its new publication, Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade: 2025 Annual Report. The U.S. services sector also continued to be the largest sector of the U.S. economy. 

The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, compiles the report annually. Each year’s report presents a qualitative and quantitative overview of U.S. trade in services and highlights some of the services sectors and geographic markets that significantly contribute to recent services trade performance.

This year’s report focuses on trade in professional services, including accounting and auditing, advertising, architecture and engineering, education, legal, and management consulting services. The report includes a special topic section on research and development services, as well as two thematic chapters. 

• The first thematic chapter focuses on how skills gaps and the introduction of new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), are affecting the competitiveness of professional services suppliers. 
• The second indicates how changing demographics, including aging and income growth, in advanced and emerging markets; businesses’ ongoing digitalization; and the move by many manufacturing firms to reorganize their supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic are driving demand for certain professional services after the pandemic.

In recent years, professional services suppliers, such as those listed below, have adopted new technologies to improve productivity, lower costs, and address increased constraints in skilled labor supply.

• Accounting and Auditing Services: Firms are using new technologies and outsourcing or offshoring to improve productivity and lower costs. Firms are reducing the cost of supplying these services by automating and importing lower-skilled tax and auditing functions, while driving revenue growth through higher-value advisory services.
• Architecture and Engineering Services: Firms have had difficulties in hiring and retaining skilled workers, and in response some are offering mentorship, internship opportunities, and flexible work schedules. New technologies like AI, building information modeling, and drone surveillance are increasingly used for design, risk assessment, 3D modeling, and other applications.
• Legal Services: New technologies have led to the growth of lower-priced and more technically sophisticated alternative legal services providers and legal technology companies. U.S. firms supplying legal services in foreign markets are using technology to increase efficiency but are also facing complex regulatory environments.

The demand for professional services in the following sectors reflects changing demographics and expanding digitalization.

• Advertising Services: This industry has seen a sharp decline in demand for linear television content and a sharp rise in demand for video streaming services content. Firms are also seeing growing demand for content developed for social media platforms, and increasingly use AI technologies to target consumers more effectively.
• Education Services: Many U.S. universities have sought to attract international students to boost declining domestic enrollments and offset funding shortfalls. The international branch campuses of some U.S. universities have struggled to enroll enough students or attract adequate financing, with many such campuses closing in recent years. 
• Management Consulting Services: Demand has been driven by the need for assistance in dealing with technological advancements and shifts in workplace habits, along with supply chain optimization and sustainability initiatives. Traditional consulting firms have been impacted by rising competition from IT firms, small niche companies, and freelance consulting platforms.

The USITC hosted its 18th annual services roundtable on October 30, 2024. The discussion, summarized in the report, focused on how widespread workforce gaps and aging demographics are affecting U.S. services industries, how some graduates of U.S. schools and universities are struggling to find employment within the first two years, and how AI is expected to augment or replace many tasks in professional services, among other topics.

Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade: 2025 Annual Report (Inv. No. 332-605, USITC Publication 5643, July 2025) is available on the USITC website. An interactive dashboard supplements the report.

*The latest year available for cross-border services trade data is 2023; the latest year available for affiliate sales and purchases data is 2022.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission or USITC) today released its second report on the economic impact on the United States of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) automotive rules of origin (ROOs), their operation and effects on the U.S. economy and U.S. competitiveness, and whether the rules remain relevant in light of technological changes in the United States.

The report, USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operation, 2025 Report, is required by section 202A(g)(2) of the USMCA Implementation Act (the Act) (19 U.S.C. § 4532(g)(2)). The Act requires the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, to submit five biennial reports to the President, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on Finance. The next three reports are due in 2027, 2029, and 2031. The first report was released in 2023.

The report’s Executive Summary contains detailed highlights of the Commission’s findings. Select findings are outlined below.

• The Commission’s economic modeling analysis indicated that the ROOs had concentrated effects on the U.S. automotive industry, and a negligible impact on the overall U.S. economy. 
  • The model estimated that the ROOs increased employment, production, revenue, capital expenditures, and profits for U.S. producers of parts and materials.
  • The model estimated that the ROOs slightly decreased employment, production, revenue, capital expenditures, inventories, and profits for U.S. producers of light vehicles. 
  • The model estimated that the ROOs reduced U.S. imports of light vehicles from Canada and Mexico, and increased imports from non-USMCA countries. In addition, the model indicated that the ROOs slightly increased the average price of light vehicles in the U.S. market.
• Three competitiveness factors for the automotive industry are the most likely to be affected by the ROOs: cost, investment, and product differentiation. 
  • The Commission survey found that most sourcing changes associated with meeting the ROOs resulted in an increase in production cost; however, some resulted in a decrease or no change to cost. 
  • Total investment in U.S. automotive manufacturing increased from $27.9 billion in 2019 to $87.8 billion in 2023, before declining to $34.1 billion in 2024. This change in investment is only partially attributable to the ROOs, though investments in parts manufacturing specifically are more likely to be ROOs-related. 
• Since the USMCA took effect on July 1, 2020, the U.S. market share for vehicle sales and parts consumption in the United States remained relatively unchanged. However, other factors show signs of changes in competitiveness; U.S. motor vehicle production has increased since 2020, but still falls short of 2019 levels. Conversely, U.S. parts production also increased, especially for certain core parts, and exceeds 2019 levels. In both cases, these changes are at least partially attributable to the ROOs, according to Commission modeling.
• There were mixed signs of changes in U.S. competitiveness in other USMCA countries since the USMCA entered into force. There is little change in U.S. vehicle market share in Canada and Mexico. Meanwhile, the import share of U.S. parts has increased in Canada but decreased in Mexico. In non-USMCA markets, the U.S. share of light vehicle exported to those markets remained relatively unchanged from 2019 to 2024.
• Other individual factors­­—the Inflation Reduction Act, labor strikes, macroeconomic conditions, and more—had a greater impact on the U.S. automotive industry. Nonetheless, no single factor was more impactful than the ROOs.

This report also identified several technological changes in the United States that have created a divergence related to the tariff classification or tariff treatment of similar goods in the USMCA automotive ROOs. Technological changes covered in the Commission’s 2023 report that continue to create divergences include new production processes related to aluminum vehicle bodies and increased production of electric pickup trucks.

In addition to these technologies, this report identifies components and processes related to the production of electric vehicles, such as e-axles and new battery chemistries, that create more tariff classification or tariff treatment divergences.

USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operation, 2025 Report (Investigation No. 332-600, USITC Publication 5642, July 2025) is available on the USITC website. Supplementing the second release of the report is an online dashboard that presents U.S. automotive trade data in an interactive format, and is available on the Commission's website.

 

About factfinding investigations: USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs, trade, and competitiveness and are generally conducted under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission’s objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission or USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of vanillin from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the government of China.

Status of proceedings, links to relevant documents, and more information about these investigations can be found at the Commission’s Investigations Database System (IDS).

The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission or USITC) voted to institute an investigation of certain Wi-Fi routers, Wi-Fi devices, mesh Wi-Fi network devices and components thereof. The products at issue in the investigation are described in the Commission’s notice of investigation.

The investigation is based on a complaint filed on behalf of Estelgia, LLC of Dover, Del., on May 16, 2025. A letter supplementing the complaint was filed on June 3, 2025. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain Wi-Fi routers, Wi-Fi devices, mesh Wi-Fi network devices and components thereof that infringe patents asserted by the complainant. The complainant requests that the USITC issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders. 

The USITC has identified the following respondents in this investigation:

• ASUStek Computer Inc., Taipei City, Taiwan
• ASUS Computer International, Fremont, Calif.
• D-Link Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan
• D-Link Systems, Inc., Irvine, Calif.
• Linksys Holdings, Inc., Irvine, Calif.
• Linksys USA, Inc., Irvine, Calif.
• Plume Design Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.

By instituting this investigation (337-TA-1454), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC’s administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission. 

The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission or USITC) voted to institute an investigation of certain boiler protection for absorption refrigeration systems and components thereof. The products at issue in the investigation are described in the Commission’s notice of investigation.

The investigation is based on a complaint filed on behalf of ARPC LLC and Paul Unmack of Butte, Montana, on May 14, 2025. A supplement was filed on May 23, 2025. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain boiler protection for absorption refrigeration systems and components thereof that infringe the patent asserted by the complainant. 

The complainant requests that the USITC issue a general exclusion order, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order, and cease and desist orders. 

The USITC has identified the following respondents in this investigation:

• Kuofanghenanmaoyiyouxiangongsi, Zheng Zhou, China
• Wuhujiaoxiangdianzishangwuyouxiangongsi, Wu Hu, China
• Wang Hai Ping, Guang Zhou China
• Shenzhenshi Xiangfan Xinxizixun Youxiangongsi, Shen Zhen, China
• Ruianshichensumaoyiyouxiangongsi, Zhe Jiang, China
• Qingyuannuozedianzishangwuyouxianzerengongsi, GuangDong, China
• Wuhu Tianhao e-commerce Co., Ltd, An Hu, China
• shen zhen shi hong kang da ke ji you xian gong si, Guang Dong, China
• guangzhou yingpeng dianzi shangwu youxiangongsi, Guang Dong, China
• shen zhen shi xing han xing dian zi shang wu you xian gong si, Guang Dong, China

By instituting this investigation (337-TA-1453), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC’s administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission. 

The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) voted to institute an investigation of certain ink cartridges and components thereof II. The products at issue in the investigation are described in the Commission’s notice of investigation.

The investigation is based on a complaint filed on behalf of Epson Portland, Inc. of Hillsboro, Ore.; Epson America, Inc. of Los Alamitos, Calif.; and Seiko Epson Corporation of Japan on May 13, 2025. Supplements to the complaint were filed on May 19 and 30, 2025, and June 3, 2025. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain ink cartridges and components thereof II that infringe patents asserted by the complainants. 

The complainants request that the USITC issue a general exclusion order, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order, and cease and desist orders. 

The USITC has identified the following respondents in this investigation:

• Dongguan Ocbestjet Digital Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a Ocbestjet, Guangdong, China
• Ocbestjet Printer Consumables (HK) Co., Ltd. d/b/a Ocbestjet, Hong Kong
• Tatrix International China Co., Ltd., Guangdong, China
• Luozhi Trading Co., Ltd., Guangdong, China
• Shenzhen Hongxinyuan E-Commerce Co., Ltd. d/b/a Jianjai, d/b/a Vi-US, Guangdong, China
• Shenzhen Kaizhen Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a PayForLess, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Zhenyang Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Oinkwere, Guangdong, China
• Shangrao Shixuan E-Commerce Co., Ltd. d/b/a Inkgo, Jiangxi, China
• Zhuhai Hengyunda Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Upriin, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Rongtaida Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Hookink, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Shi Wei Tai Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Ondula-A, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Yixing Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Greenjob USSOP, Guangdong, China
• Mei Jin Technology HK Co. d/b/a YBFeir, d/b/a MJing, Hong Kong
• ZhuHai MeiJiAn Trading Co., Ltd. d/b/a HaloFox, Guangdong, China 
• Qiong Wang d/b/a 7-magic, Guangdong, China
• Shen Zhen Sailing Technology Limited d/b/a Triple-Color, Shenzhen, China
• Zhuhai Shuofeng E-commerce Co., Ltd. d/b/a super-ink-club, Guangdong, China 
• Zhuhai Bowang Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a office-print-club, Guangdong, China
• Mountain Peak, Inc. d/b/a/ Billiontree Technology USA, Inc., d/b/a Toner Kingdom, City of Industry, Calif.
• Straightouttaink, LP, d/b/a discountinkllc, d/b/a einkshop2014, d/b/a Inkpro, d/b/a inkprousa, San Jose, Calif.

By instituting this investigation (337-TA-1452), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC’s administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission. 

The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) voted to institute an investigation of certain ink cartridges and components thereof I. The products at issue in the investigation are described in the Commission’s notice of investigation.

The investigation is based on a complaint filed on behalf of Epson Portland Inc. of Hillsboro, Ore.; Epson America, Inc. of Los Alamitos, Calif.; and Seiko Epson Corporation of Japan on May 13, 2025. Supplements to the complaint were filed on May 19 and 30, 2025, and June 3, 2025. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain ink cartridges and components thereof that infringe patents asserted by the complainants. 

The complainants request that the USITC issue a general exclusion order, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order, and cease and desist orders. 

The USITC has identified the following respondents in this investigation:

• Dongguan Ocbestjet Digital Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a Ocbestjet, Guangdong, China
• Ocbestjet Printer Consumables (HK) Co., Ltd. d/b/a Ocbestjet, Hong Kong, China
• Tatrix International China Co., Ltd., Guandong, China
• Luozhi Trading Co., Ltd., Guandong, China
• Shenzhen Hongxinyuan E-Commerce Co., Ltd. d/b/a Jianjai, d/b/a Vi-US, Guandong, China
• Shenzhen Kaizhen Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a PayForLess, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Zhenyang Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Oinkwere, Guangdong, China
• Shangrao Shixuan E-Commerce Co., Ltd. d/b/a Inkgo, Jiangxi, China
• Zhuhai Hengyunda Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Upriin, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Rongtaida Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Hookink, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Shi Wei Tai Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Ondula-A, Guangdong, China
• Zhuhai Yixing Electronics Co., Ltd. d/b/a Greenjob USSOP, Guangdong, China
• Mei Jin Technology HK Co. d/b/a YBFeir, d/b/a MJing, Hong Kong
• ZhuHai MeiJiAn Trading Co., Ltd. d/b/a HaloFox, Guangdong, China 
• Qiong Wang d/b/a 7-magic, Guangdong, China
• Shen Zhen Sailing Technology Limited d/b/a Triple-Color, Shenzhen, China
• Zhuhai Shuofeng E-commerce Co., Ltd. d/b/a super-ink-club, Guangdong, China 
• Zhuhai Bowang Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a office-print-club, Guangdong, China
• Mountain Peak, Inc. d/b/a/ Billiontree Technology USA, Inc., d/b/a Toner Kingdom, City of Industry, Calif.
• Straightouttaink, LP, d/b/a discountinkllc, d/b/a einkshop2014, d/b/a Inkpro, d/b/a inkprousa, San Jose, Calif.

By instituting this investigation (337-TA-1451), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC’s administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission. 

The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission or USITC) is undertaking a new factfinding investigation that will examine the global nonfat milk solids market and the export competitiveness of the nonfat milk solids industries in the United States and other major suppliers, such as Australia, Canada, select EU member states, and New Zealand.

This investigation, Nonfat Milk Solids: Competitive Conditions for the United States and Major Foreign Suppliers (Investigation No. 332-607), was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received on April 23, 2025.

As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan federal agency, will prepare a public report that will provide, to the extent practicable:

• An overview of the global market for products containing high levels of nonfat milk solids in their various forms, including such factors as product end uses, consumption, production, and trade.
   
• Profiles of the industries producing and exporting products containing high levels of nonfat milk solids in the United States, Australia, Canada, select EU member states, New Zealand, and other countries as may be relevant, including information about domestic production, consumption, and export trends in these countries.
   
• A comparison of the competitive strengths and weaknesses of producers and exporters of nonfat milk solids products from the United States and other major exporting countries, focusing on factors affecting delivered costs, product differentiation, and reliability of supply, as well as government policies and programs that directly or indirectly affect the production and exports of nonfat milk solids products from these countries.
   
• An overview of the competitiveness of U.S. nonfat milk solids products relative to exports from the highlighted countries both in the U.S. market and in third-country markets. 

The report will focus on the 2020-2024 period. The USITC expects to submit its report to USTR by March 23, 2026.

The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation at 9:30 a.m. on July 28, 2025. A link to the hearing will be posted on the Commission’s website. Submit requests to appear at the hearing no later than 5:15 p.m. on July 14, 2025, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20436. See below for important information about filing a request to appear at a USITC hearing.

The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission and should be submitted no later than 5:15 p.m. on October 14, 2025. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public review. See below for important information about the filing of written submissions for USITC investigations.

FILING DOCUMENTS ONLINE: All filings to appear at the hearing and written submissions must be made through the Commission’s Electronic Document Information System (EDIS). The USITC will not accept in-person, paper-based filings, or paper copies of electronic filings. If you have questions about electronic filing, contact the Office of the Secretary, Docket Services Division (EDIS3Help@usitc.gov) or consult the Commission’s Handbook on Filing Procedures.

Further information on the scope of the investigation is available in the USITC’s notice of investigation, dated May 20, 2025, which you can also download from the USITC website or obtain by contacting the Office of the Secretary at commissionhearings@usitc.gov.

 

ABOUT FACTFINDING INVESTIGATIONS: USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs, trade and competitiveness and are generally conducted under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission’s objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

Status of proceedings, links to relevant documents, and more information about these investigations can be found at the Commission’s Investigations Database System (IDS).

The U.S. International Trade Commission Commission (Commission or USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of alkyl phosphate esters from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the government of China.

Status of proceedings, links to relevant documents, and more information about these investigations can be found at the Commission’s Investigations Database System (IDS).

 

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