As importers seek to comply with the many tariffs that have been introduced or modified in recent months, they will need to be mindful of entry construction if their goods are eligible for duty drawback, according to Tim Vorderstrasse, a licensed customs broker with Flexport, speaking during his company's Aug. 6 webinar on tariffs.
CBP improperly classified importer Air Distribution USA's shisha molasses, also known as "hookah tobacco," as a type of "smoking tobacco" and erroneously subjected the shisha molasses to federal excise taxes on "pipe tobacco," Air Distribution argued in a complaint last month at the Court of International Trade (Air Distribution USA v. United States, CIT # 25-00063).
CBP created Harmonized System Updates 2530 and 2531 on Aug. 5. HSU 2530 contains 404 Automated Broker Interface records and 135 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records. HSU 2531 contains four ABI records and two HTS records. HSU 2530 includes the additional duties on imports from Brazil effective Aug. 6, the reciprocal tariff updates effective Aug. 7, and miscellaneous tariff adjustments required by verification of the 2025 HTS. HSU 2531 includes an update to the countries of origin for the EU reciprocal tariffs.
A domestic producer recently filed a petition with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting antidumping and countervailing duties be imposed on unwrought palladium imported from Russia. Commerce now will decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CVD orders and the assessment of AD and CVD on importers. Stillwater Mining Company and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, requested the investigation.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of July 28 - Aug. 3.
CBP has provided updated guidance on reciprocal tariffs that includes additional information on what goods are exempt, according to an Aug. 4 cargo systems message.
The Section 232 tariffs on copper and its derivatives appear to have been developed under a greater understanding of how U.S. manufacturing works, according to trade expert Cindy Allen, who appeared on an Aug. 1 "Simply Trade" podcast episode to discuss the numerous U.S. trade actions that occurred last week.
CBP created Harmonized System Update 2529 on Aug. 1, containing 59 Automated Broker Interface records and 16 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records. HSU 2529 includes the adjustments to Section 232 Import duties on copper, the additional duties on imports from Canada and miscellaneous tariff adjustments required by verification of the 2025 Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
CBP recently offered guidance on how customs brokers and importers should apply 40% duties on goods imported from Brazil, following the White House's implementation of stiffer tariffs on the country (see 2507300066).
CBP on July 31 provided guidance on new tariffs on Canadian imports, which were raised from 25% to 35% Aug. 1 (see 2507310082).