Trump Authorizes Heavy Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum

Thursday afternoon, U.S. President Donald Trump signed proclamations that levied a 25 percent tariff on steel articles and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum articles imported from all countries except Canada and Mexico.

These duties go into effect at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on March 23, 2018.

Canada and Mexico are currently exempt, pending an assessment of ongoing NAFTA negotiations.  No deadline has been given for completion of the assessment.  Restrictions for other countries may be removed or modified if “satisfactory alternative means to address the national security threat” are met.

The proclamation has defined “steel articles” subject to the additional duties in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule as:

  • 7206.10 through 7216.50
  • 7216.99 through 7301.10
  • 7302.10
  • 7302.40 through 7302.90
  • 7304.10 through 7306.90

The proclamation has defined “aluminum articles” subject to the additional duties in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule as:

  • HTS 7601 – Unwrought aluminum
  • HTS 7604 – Aluminum bars, rods, and profiles
  • HTS 7605 – Aluminum wire
  • HTS 7606 and 7607 – Aluminum plate, sheet, strip, and foil (flat rolled products)
  • HTS 7608 and 7609 – Aluminum tubes and pipes and tube and pipe fitting
  • HTS 7616.99.5160 – Aluminum castings
  • HTS 7616.99.5170 – Aluminum forgings

Harmonized Tariff Schedule is available here

Willson International is monitoring the situation and will provide additional updates once the information becomes available.

Full Steel Proclamation

Full Aluminum Proclamation