A new Executive Order (EO) issued on February 1, 2025, has imposed additional duties on imports from China, Hong Kong, Canada, and Mexico. These tariffs, enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), will take effect at 12:01 AM ET on February 4, 2025.
Who Is Affected?
Importers bringing in goods from China, Hong Kong, Canada, and Mexico will be subject to additional duties unless their shipments qualify for one of the exemptions outlined below.
Exemptions from Additional Duties
Certain imports will not be subject to these new tariffs, including:
Goods in Transit:Â Products that were in transit before February 1, 2025, and entered for consumption between February 4 and March 7, 2025.
Humanitarian Donations:Â Items donated by U.S. persons, such as food, clothing, and medicine, intended to relieve human suffering.
Informational Materials:Â Publications, films, posters, records, photographs, microfilms, tapes, CDs, artworks, and news feeds.
Personal Items:Â Used personal belongings carried in accompanied baggage.
Pause on Duties for Canada and Mexico
As of 4:00 PM PST on February 3, 2025, the application of additional duties on imports from Canada and Mexico has been paused. However, duties on imports from China and Hong Kong remain in effect.
De Minimis Rule Update
A significant change impacting importers is the removal of the de minimis exemption for products originating from China and Hong Kong. Effective February 4, 2025:
Shipments from these regions will no longer qualify for duty-free entry under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C).
Importers attempting to claim de minimis clearance for ineligible shipments will be rejected.
All affected goods must be entered under a formal or informal entry process and will be subject to applicable duties, taxes, and fees.
What’s Next?
The trade landscape is shifting rapidly, and importers should prepare for potential changes. We are closely monitoring updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and will continue to provide timely information.
For further details, read the full notices:
If you have any questions about how these changes may impact your imports, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help ensure compliance and minimize disruptions to your shipments.
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