WHAT’S THE LATEST

On June 30, President Trump issued a proclamation stating that all imports of semi-finished copper products and intensive copper derivative products will be subject to a 50% tariff, effective at 12:01 a.m. ET on Aug. 1. This new action expands on previous U.S. trade measures targeting steel and aluminum imports.

Additionally, importers, brokers and filers can reference reporting requirements outlined in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service message # 65794272.

WHAT WE KNOW

  • A 50% tariff will apply to applicable copper products entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after the effective date.
  • Non-copper content of affected products may be declared separately under the IEEPA Reciprocal Rate if supporting documentation is available to justify the valuation strategy. 
  • The Commerce Department will implement a process within 90 days (by October 28) to allow for the inclusion of additional products under the scope of the tariffs.
  • Products already covered under Section 232 automotive duties are excluded from this new copper tariff. 

*The complete list of HTS codes defining the scope of this order is available here.

WHAT'S NEXT?

SEKO advises importers to do the following:

  • Review the Annex to determine if their classifications are within scope of these orders and to evaluate appropriate mitigation strategies.
  • Utilize HTS databases for imported products to ensure clearance data elements are updated in a timely and accurate manner amid this rapidly changing regulatory environment. 
  • Coordinate with your Customs Broker to ensure all documentation is completed compliantly, particularly if leveraging any exemptions or special provisions. 

If you have questions, please reach out to your SEKO representative, or email us at hello@sekologistics.com.