Forced-Labor Tariffs Hit DR: The U.S. imposed new Section 301 duties on 60 economies, including the Dominican Republic, with a 12.5% tariff taking effect July 24 after the prior Section 122 levy expired. DR Counter-Decree: Hours before the U.S. move, Santo Domingo issued Decree 502-26 empowering Customs to block, investigate, and restrict imports tied to forced labor, including goods already in transit. Egg Exports to Cuba Resume: The DR restarted shipments to Cuba—about 3.9 million eggs in the first batch, targeting 13 million+ per month—after a new regulation subsidized maritime transport to offset higher logistics costs. CARICOM Push: A new argument is making the case for the DR to join CARICOM to deepen regional market access and attract private investment. Competition Law Update: ProCompetencia urged modernizing the country’s antitrust framework to better handle digital platforms and cross-border business. Tourism & Ports: APORDOM launched preventive maintenance for tourist and fishing docks to improve safety and protect coastal economic activity. BNI Expansion: BNI reported strong Q2 growth and entered the Dominican Republic as part of its Latin America expansion.