What part of trade law affects tech companies the most?

Export controls. The EAR (Commerce/BIS) and ITAR (State) restrict where sensitive technology, software, and technical data can go — and can apply even to sharing code or data with a foreign national domestically. For hardware and advanced-computing firms, these rules are the most likely to block a transaction.

Do U.S. export controls really cover software and source code?

Yes. Controls reach not only physical items but also software and technical data, and releasing controlled technology to a foreign national — even inside the United States — can count as an export requiring authorization.

How do tariffs affect technology products?

Tariffs raise the cost of imported components and devices and can drive sourcing decisions. Policy tariffs such as Section 301 duties on many Chinese-origin goods are significant, but rates change with trade policy, so check the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule rather than relying on past figures.

What is the forced-labor risk for electronics importers?

Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, goods tied to China’s Xinjiang region are presumed made with forced labor and barred from entry unless the importer rebuts that presumption with strong evidence. Because key electronics inputs can originate there, supply-chain traceability is now a customs-compliance requirement. Tech companies face export controls, tariffs, IP rules, forced-labor enforcement, and data restrictions at once — and the rules move fast. Reidel Law Firm helps technology importers and exporters assess classification and compliance exposure on flat-fee terms. Get an import/export compliance memo.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW

How Trade Law Affects the Tech Industry

Schuyler 'Rocky' Reidel July 13, 2023 5 min read

International trade law shapes the tech industry through five main levers: export controls on sensitive technology, tariffs on hardware, inte