The following was shared in the RV Industry Association’s News & Insights report.
There are two major developments regarding the ongoing tariff situation that could impact your operations and bottom line.
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Hearing Set for New Global Tariffs: On Friday, April 10, the U.S. Court of International Trade will hold a hearing to decide if the recently imposed “Section 122” global tariffs are legal. This follows a lawsuit filed by a coalition of states and importers who argue these new 10%–15% duties exceed the President’s legal authority.
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Refund System for Overpaid Duties: Following a Supreme Court ruling that found previous “emergency” tariffs (under the IEEPA act) were unauthorized, U.S. Customs is now building a system to pay importers back. This new system, called CAPE, will allow businesses to submit refund claims directly through the existing Customs online portal.
What you need to know about the refund process:
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Electronic Filing: Importers or their brokers will upload a simple spreadsheet (CSV) of their claims to the new portal.
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Automated Checks: The system will automatically verify the data, recalculate the correct duties, and process the refund.
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Direct Payment: Once approved, refunds will be sent electronically to the bank account Customs has on file for your company.
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Phased Rollout: The system is being built in stages. Simpler refund requests will be processed first, while more complex cases may take several months.
Customs is making steady progress on the new refund tools. As of the latest report on March 19, here is how close the system is to being finished:
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Claims Portal: 73% complete
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Processing Engine: 45% complete
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Verification System: 80% complete
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Refund Payment Tool: 63% complete
The RV Industry Association will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates as the portal goes live.
For a deep dive into the legal filings, specific system requirements and the latest progress percentages, read the full article. Please contact Samantha Rocci, director of federal affairs, at [email protected].
