U.S. opens drug-pricing investigation into Germany.
Today's events
Germany drug-pricing probe.
U.S. Trade Representative Greer opened a Section 301 trade investigation into whether Germany’s persistent underpayment for innovative drugs unfairly burdens American commerce, as Berlin fast-tracks legislation to cut drug spending.1Jun 19 · USTRBayer seed concession.
Under an ongoing Antitrust Division investigation into corn and soybean seed markets, Bayer CropScience agreed to drop loyalty-program provisions the Justice Department called anticompetitive — and not to reinstate them for seven years.2Jun 20 · DOJCross-border power.
The Energy Department finalized a rule simplifying the approval process for U.S. companies to export electricity to foreign countries, stripping out application requirements it deemed unnecessary under the Federal Power Act.3Jun 20 · DOEChina refrigerant duties.
Commerce stripped Chinese refrigerant maker Sanmei and 23 other firms of separate antidumping rates, folding them into the China-wide entity — a finding that subjects their R-134a exports to the highest duty rate.4Jun 20 · CommerceCancer-drug withdrawal.
The FDA withdrew approval of Epizyme’s lymphoma and sarcoma drug tazemetostat after a confirmatory trial showed an increased rate of second cancers; the maker had already pulled it from the U.S. market.5Jun 20 · FDAAI-server assembly.
Super Micro asked the Foreign-Trade Zone Board to clear assembly of AI server systems at its California plants using imported graphics processors and parts subject to China tariffs — a bid to localize compute hardware.6Jun 20 · CommerceAir-rule repeal.
The EPA removed its 2024 air-toxics limits on rubber-tire manufacturing after Congress and the President voided the standard under the Congressional Review Act, erasing the first federal emissions limits on tire-rubber processing.7Jun 20 · EPATrucking deregulation.
Federal regulators issued two final rules cutting trucking paperwork — ending the requirement that commercial drivers self-report violations to their home states, and scrapping the mandate to carry electronic-logging-device manuals in the cab.8Jun 20 · DOTTrainer-jet grounding.
The Air Force grounded its entire T-38 Talon fleet — the supersonic jet used to train fighter and bomber pilots — pending inspections tied to a May 12 crash, forcing aircrews onto simulators.9Jun 20 · Air Force
Allied Governments
North Africa migration.
Britain expanded its North Africa migration programme with a fresh £9 million, extending it to Libya alongside Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia, as Foreign Secretary Cooper framed migration as a challenge requiring global cooperation.aJun 19 · UK FCDOConflict-violence envoy.
The UK appointed Chris Elmore as Special Envoy on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, citing estimates that up to 30% of women and girls in conflict zones experience sexual violence.bJun 19 · UK FCDONATO planning doctrine.
Britain’s defence ministry published the updated keystone NATO doctrine governing how allied forces plan joint operations — the reference framework for commanders across the alliance.cJun 19 · UK MoD
Voices
“President Trump has made clear that American patients should not be shouldering a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical research and development.”
U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer · Jun 191
“Fighting the war against disease is a shared burden across wealthy nations.”
HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. · Jun 191
“American farmers deserve competitive markets, not contractual restrictions that limit choice and innovation.”
Associate AG Stanley Woodward, DOJ · Jun 202
“These actions build upon our 2025 USDA-DOJ Memorandum of Understanding strengthening competition in agricultural supply chains for our farmers, who are among the best in the world.”
Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins · Jun 202
“Distribution of Epizyme’s TAZVERIK (tazemetostat) tablet, 200 mg, into interstate commerce without an approved application is illegal and subject to regulatory action.”
FDA, drug-withdrawal notice · Jun 205
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Air Force is implementing a fleet-wide operational pause for all T-38 Talon aircraft.”
U.S. Air Force statement · Jun 209
Sources
- USTR, “USTR Announces Initiation of Section 301 Investigation of Germany’s Persistent Underpayment for Innovative Pharmaceutical Products,” June 19, 2026. ustr.gov/…/germany-section-301-pharmaceuticals
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Antitrust Division Secures Seed Tying and Loyalty Program Commitments from Bayer,” June 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/bayer-seed-loyalty-commitments
- U.S. Dept. of Energy, “Application for Authorization To Transmit Electric Energy to a Foreign Country” (final rule), June 2026. federalregister.gov/…/transmit-electric-energy-foreign-country
- U.S. Dept. of Commerce, “1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) From the People’s Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review,” June 2026. federalregister.gov/…/r-134a-china-antidumping-review
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Epizyme, Inc.; Withdrawal of Approval of New Drug Application for TAZVERIK (Tazemetostat),” June 2026. federalregister.gov/…/tazverik-tazemetostat-withdrawal
- U.S. Dept. of Commerce, “Foreign-Trade Zone 18; Notification of Proposed Production Activity; Super Micro Computer, Inc. (High-Performance Computing Systems),” June 2026. federalregister.gov/…/ftz-18-super-micro-computer
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Congressional Review Act Revocation of 2024 Amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing,” June 2026. federalregister.gov/…/rubber-tire-cra-revocation
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Removal of Self-Reporting Requirement; and Rescinding the ELD Operator’s Manual Requirement in Commercial Motor Vehicles” (final rules), June 2026. federalregister.gov/…/fmcsa-self-reporting-removal
- U.S. Air Force, “T-38 Talon Operational Pause,” June 2026. af.mil/News/…/t-38-talon-operational-pause
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “‘Migration Is a Global Challenge Requiring Global Co-operation’ — Expansion of North Africa Programme to Support Migrants Closer to Home,” June 19, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/north-africa-migration-programme
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “Action on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Is Strengthened as New Special Envoy Appointed,” June 19, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/preventing-sexual-violence-special-envoy
- UK Ministry of Defence, “Allied Joint Doctrine for the Planning of Operations (AJP-5),” June 19, 2026. gov.uk/government/publications/…/ajp-5-planning-of-operations