The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has published the final list of Chinese products subject to additional 25% tariffs pursuant to its Section 301 investigation into unfair trade practices. The tariffs apply to a list of 818 tariff designations covering $34 billion in goods. The tariffs will be collected starting July 6, 2018.
The USTR has also published an additional proposed list of items covering 284 tariff designations and $16 billion in goods. The tariff on these items will be subject to a notice and comment period to follow.
The full lists can be accessed at the following links: List 1, List 2.
In response, China is expected to enact a previously proposed list of retaliatory tariffs against U.S. imports. An English version of the Chinese retaliatory tariff list can be accessed here (Chinese Version). It is unclear if Chinese retaliatory tariffs will take effect, or whether the list may change.
Should China retaliate, President Trump has threatened to implement further additional tariffs on products worth $100 billion.
Section 232 - Update
Additionally, on May 31, 2018, the White House confirmed that the U.S. will proceed with Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the E.U. The tariffs went into effect on June 1, 2018.
In response, the E.U, Canada and Mexico have threatened the following retaliatory tariffs:
The Mexican government stated that it would introduce "equivalent measures" on US products — including flat steel, lamps, pork legs and shoulders, sausages and food preparations, apples, grapes, blueberries, various cheeses, and more. The full list can be accessed here.
In May, the EU notified the WTO of retaliatory tariffs that it aims to introduce in response to U.S. tariffs. The EU list would target $7.1 billion worth of U.S. goods, with the aim of collecting $1.6 billion in tariff revenue. The final list is being completed and is expected to take effect in early July. The full list can be accessed here.
The Canadian government published a list of tariffs on U.S. goods worth up to C$16.6 billion. The tariffs will come into effect on July 1, 2018. In addition to the industrial metals, the Canadian tariffs would apply to some consumer products, such as: lawn mowers, dishwasher detergent, insecticides, kitchenware, plywood, inflatable boats, sailboats, motorboats and mattresses. The full list can be accessed here.
The implementation of these tariffs necessitates the proper classification of merchandise for both import and export purposes in order to avoid erroneous duty payments.
If you are unsure whether your products are affected by these proposed tariffs or require assistance to verify your tariff designations, please reach out to one of our attorneys or trade specialists listed here.