***See the latest update regarding Section 301 Tariffs by clicking here.

Starting on March 23, 2018, there will be tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum products that are imported into the United States. On March 1, 2018, The Administration announced intentions to tariffs on aluminum and steel products being imported into the United States. Throughout the month of March, the original intention has been amended to include key provisions, including exemptions for certain countries. Here are some of the key facts that are important to import and export regulations:

What items are considered “steel” and “aluminum” as part of these measures?

According to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), “”aluminum articles” are defined as unwrought aluminum (HTS 7601); aluminum bars, rods and profiles (HTS 7604); aluminum wire (HTS 7605); aluminum plate, sheet, strip and foil (flat rolled products) (HTS 7606 and 7607); aluminum tubes and pipes, and tube and pipe fitting (HTS 7608 and 7609); and aluminum castings and forgings (HTS 7616.99.51.60 and 7616.99.51.70), including any subsequent revisions to these HTS classifications.”

Also, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) defines “steel articles,” in the HTS six-digit level as: 7206.10 through 7216.50; 7216.99 through 7301.10; 7302.10; 7302.40 through 7302.90; and 7304.10 through 7306.90, including any subsequent revisions to these HTS classifications.

Both the harmonized tariff schedules can be found here:

Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) For Steel

Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) For Aluminum

What are key points that importers need to know in regards to port clearing schedules?

Any shipment that arrives in the United States 3/23 or later, whether clearing in port of discharge or port of entry on an In Bond (even if dates prior to 3/23) will be subject to the new tariff. One cannot set entry dates to earlier than 3/23 just to try and avoid the tariff if the actual arrival date is 3/23 or later. In other words, if cargo has been set to arrive on 3/23 or later, that cargo is subject to the new tariff.

Are there any exclusions to the tariffs?

Canada, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, South Korea, Brazil, and member countries of the European Union will be exempt from these tariffs until April 30, 2018. After that, these countries will be held to the same tariffs as non-exempt countries effective May 1, 2018.

Exclusion requests are available to the public via the BIS web portal. The Exclusion requests can be submitted by anyone. There is no deadline to get your request in. The request must be submitted in electronic format; no paper copies will be accepted. BIS has 90 days to decide on the exclusion request.

All exclusion requests are subject to public disclosure and objectors to the exclusion will have 30 days from open comment period date to submit their objections. Notification of granted exclusions will be posted on www.regulations.gov.

Important information regarding exclusions of tariffs and portals for submitting exemptions can be found here:

Important Details About Exclusion Requests

Exclusion Request For Steel

Exclusion Request For Aluminum

How can I learn more about the impact of these tariffs on my supply chain?

Our dedicated team of supply chain experts can assist you as the tariffs are enforced. If you have any questions, please contact us today or contact your Ascent Global Logistics representative directly.

***See the latest update regarding Section 301 Tariffs by clicking here.