Steel interests, steelworkers and aluminum interests mostly said that 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum should remain for Canadian and Mexican exports even after upcoming USMCA review, with exceptions among some aluminum witnesses and the Mexican steel industry.
While apparel industry groups have gripes with USMCA, they prefer it to be preserved as it currently stands rather than risk the uncertainty of renegotiation.
Manufacturing trade groups and companies mostly argued in comments to the U.S. Trade Representative that USMCA rules of origin for their sectors shouldn't change as part of the pact's review, and if they do, it should be only after extensive consultation with industry, and with adequate transition times.
CBP lacked the authority to reliquidate three drawback claims regarding three jewelry entries made by Importer Zale Delaware, since the drawback claims deemed liquidated, Zale argued in a Nov 24 complaint at the Court of International Trade (Zale Delaware v. United States, CIT # 25-00139).
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
Management of CBP's drawback program and its drawback specialists has been transferred to the Petroleum, Natural Gas and Mineral Center of Excellence and Expertise of the Houston Field Office "for enhanced uniformity and oversight," according to a Nov. 19 trade information notice.
As the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative considers whether the U.S. wants to continue the USMCA, it will evaluate more than 1,500 comments from farmers, manufacturers, retailers, civic society and broad business interests that operate in all three countries.
While importers may explore tariff mitigation strategies such as duty drawback, bonded warehouses, foreign-trade zones and free trade agreement eligibility, ensuring proper tariff classification should be the first and top priority, because potentially thousands of dollars in the underpayment -- or overpayment -- of duties is at stake if a good is classified incorrectly, speakers said during a panel at last week's International Compliance Professionals Association conference in Texas.
CBP released guidance on Section 232 import duties for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, medium- and heavy-duty truck parts, and buses via an Oct. 29 cargo systems message.
Section 232 tariffs on heavy- and medium-duty trucks and their parts and on buses will take effect Nov. 1, under a proclamation issued by President Donald Trump. Tariffs will be set at 25% for classes III through VIII trucks and their parts, and 10% on buses.