On May 14, President Biden issued a Memorandum stating that the U.S. would maintain existing 301 tariffs on certain Chinese imports, which were established during the Trump administration, and also initiate new Section 301 tariffs and some 301 tariff increases on certain product categories.
On May 22, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a formal notice in the Federal Register providing additional details on the new tariffs, as well as important new details on product categories that could qualify to be excluded from Section 301 tariffs – including certain machinery and solar manufacturing equipment. These new details include HTS codes and product descriptions for the proposed new 301 tariffs and the exclusion categories.
Additionally, the notice established specific effective dates for the new tariffs. Those slated to start in 2024 is targeted to become effective August 1, 2024. Tariff increases slated for 2025 and 2026 will be effective January 1 of these years. See this May 14 press release that includes the product categories selected for additional tariffs.
RECOMMENDATION
U.S. companies that import from China should carefully review this Federal Register notice to determine if their imported products might qualify for an exclusion, thus avoiding this significant duty payment. Check the notice to determine whether any increased or new tariffs might apply to your goods, too. If there’s a significant impact to your business, there’s an opportunity to submit comments to the USTR in the coming weeks to ask that they be excluded from the final list. If you have any questions about whether your products might be eligible for an exclusion, about the request for exclusion process, or whether your goods are impacted by the new tariffs, contact your Dimerco freight specialist or reach out to Dimerco to start a discussion.