CBP created Harmonized System Update 2512 on April 2, containing 125 Automated Broker Interface (ABI) records and 35 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records. It includes the latest adjustments on imports of automobiles and automobile parts into the U.S. (see 2504020081).
President Donald Trump, on his flight to Florida on April 3, told reporters on the plane that "we put ourselves in the driver's seat" with the global tariff announcements, and now, "every country is calling us."
Multiple countries this week objected to President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of new reciprocal tariffs against trading partners (see 2504020072), saying they either plan to retaliate or are assessing how to respond.
President Donald Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact his sweeping "retaliatory" tariffs (see 2504020086) has drawn serious speculation about whether the statute can serve as a proper basis for invoking the tariffs. Trade lawyers told us that potential issues arising from the use of IEEPA include the existence of tariff-making authority to address trade deficits under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, the "major questions" doctrine and the way in which the tariffs were calculated.
A former Trump trade negotiator, Kelly Ann Shaw, described as "one of the key architects of the Administration’s trade, investment, energy and national security policies" in Trump's first term by her current law firm, said the reciprocal tariffs announced April 2, based on goods trade deficits, are not the same tariffs that will be in place weeks, months or years from now.
The White House released two annexes to its proclamation setting 10% reciprocal tariffs April 5, and higher country-specific tariffs for some on April 9, including a list of goods excluded from the tariffs, some because they're potentially subject to Section 232 actions.
A day after President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs upon dozens of trading partners, including countries that the U.S. has historically had friendly relations with, customs brokers and importers have numerous questions, such as whether ACE has the ability to verify values accurately and what role drawback might have as companies respond to the tariffs.
Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urging him and President Donald Trump to exempt child care products from tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada. The tariffs will raise prices on "car seats, highchairs, strollers, and cribs" and "exacerbate the cost of caring for babies and toddlers," the lawmakers said.
CBP is seeking public comments on several information collections that involve imports, the agency said in Federal Register notices released this week. Comments are due May 5.
In the March 26 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 59, No. 13), CBP published a proposal to revoke a ruling letter concerning the tariff classification of a 7100PP-R-xM RCMM optical patch panel from China.