U.S. International Trade Commission Ends Investigation on Semiconductor Devices
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The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) recently made a decision regarding an important investigation. The investigation focused on certain foreign-made semiconductor devices. These devices were made overseas and then brought into the United States.
The investigation began on March 26, 2025. It was based on a complaint filed by two companies from Dublin, Ireland. These companies are Longitude Licensing Ltd. and Marlin Semiconductor Limited. They claimed that some semiconductor products were entering the U.S. illegally, in violation of certain patent rights. These products were alleged to infringe on several U.S. Patents related to semiconductor devices.
The investigation named several big companies as respondents. These include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Apple, Broadcom Inc., Lenovo, Motorola, OnePlus, and Qualcomm. All these companies were accused of having products that might use the patented technology without permission.
During the investigation, changes happened. Lenovo Group Limited was replaced with their different regional offices, including Lenovo (United States) Inc. of Morrisville, North Carolina, in the investigation list. Some claims related to other patents were also ended when the complaints were withdrawn.
On June 26, 2026, Apple was removed from the investigation. This was because Apple settled the matter through an agreement.
In July 2026, the companies involved, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), decided to settle the matter. They filed a joint motion to end the investigation. The motion was not opposed by the other parties.
On August 5, 2026, an Administrative Law Judge approved this motion. After review according to the Commission’s rules, the investigation was ended entirely. The Commission decided not to review the judge’s decision, officially terminating the investigation on September 3, 2026.
This means that the investigation is completely over. The case showed how companies can resolve matters through settlement even in complex international trade issues.
The decision is backed by U.S. laws related to unfair trade practices. These laws are part of the Tariff Act of 1930 and the Commission’s rules.
For more detailed information, people can visit the USITC’s electronic docket service online.
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