The following was reported by the RV Industry Association (RVIA).
Wednesday, Dec. 8: On Thursday, Dec. 4, the Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued a Federal Register notice formally modifying certain aspects of U.S. tariffs targeting South Korea. Cargo Systems Messaging Service guidance can be found here.
Changes to Section 232 Duties on Automobiles & Automobile Parts
Retroactively effective on or after 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 1:
- Certain automobiles and auto parts with a Most Favored Nation or U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement tariff rate, as applicable, greater than or equal to 15% will face no additional Section 232 tariff.
- Certain automobiles and auto parts with a Most Favored Nation or U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement tariff rate, as applicable, less than 15% will face both a Most Favored Nation or U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement tariff rate, as applicable, and an additional Section 232 tariff – the sum of which will be 15%.
Retroactively effective on or after 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 14:
- Certain Korean goods subject to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) reciprocal tariffs with a Most Favored Nation or U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement tariff rate, as applicable, greater than or equal to 15% will face no additional IEEPA reciprocal tariff.
- Certain Korean goods subject to IEEPA reciprocal tariffs with a Most Favored Nation or U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement tariff rate, as applicable, less than 15% will face both a Most Favored Nation or U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement tariff, as applicable, and an additional IEEPA reciprocal tariff – the sum of which will be 15%.
Automobiles and automobile parts subject to Proclamation 10908, as amended, are not subject to the additional duties imposed on:
- entries of semi-finished copper products and copper-intensive derivative products under heading 9903.78.01
- entries of aluminum products under heading 9903.85.02 and 9903.85.12
- entries of derivative aluminum products under headings 9903.85.04, 9903.85.07, 9903.85.08, 9903.85.13, 9903.85.14, and 9903.85.15
- entries of iron or steel products under headings 9903.81.87, 9903.81.88, 9903.81.94 and 9903.81.95;
- entries of derivative iron or steel products under headings 9903.81.89, 9903.81.90, 9903.81.91, 9903.81.93, 9903.81.96, 9903.81.97, 9903.81.98 and 9903.81.99;
- entries of articles the product of Canada under heading 9903.01.10;
- entries of articles the product of Mexico under heading 9903.01.01; and
- entries of wood products under headings 9903.76.01, 9903.76.02 and 9903.76.03. (applies to parts only)
Changes to Section 232 Duties on Wood Products
Retroactively to 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 14:
- Certain kitchen cabinets and upholstered wooden furniture will face both a Most Favored Nation and an additional Section 232 tariff – the sum of which will be 15%.
- Certain civil aircraft articles will no longer face IEEPA reciprocal or Section 232 steel, aluminum and copper tariffs.
Please contact RV Industry Association Director of Federal Affairs Samantha Rocci at srocci@rvia.org with any questions, and keep up with the latest tariff updates here.
Monday, Nov. 17: On Thursday, Nov. 13, the United States announced frameworks for agreements on reciprocal trade with Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala, as well as with Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The United States and South Korea also reaffirmed the Korea Strategic Trade and Investment Deal in a White House Fact Sheetreleased the same day.
Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala:
- The United States will remove reciprocal tariffs on Annex III products. In El Salvador and Guatemala, the United States will also remove the reciprocal tariffs from certain products, such as textiles and apparel products, originating under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).
- Negotiations for these frameworks are ongoing, and documents have not yet been published.
Switzerland and Liechtenstein:
- The United States will remove reciprocal tariffs (under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) on certain goods listed in Annex III, also called the Potential Tariff Adjustments for Aligned Partners (PTAAP) list.
- For goods from Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the United States will apply the higher of the normal Most Favored Nation tariff or a combined 15% tariff (the Most Favored Nation tariff plus a reciprocal tariff).
South Korea:
- The United States will reduce its Section 232 sectoral tariffs on automobiles, auto parts, timber, lumber, and wood derivatives to 15%.
- For such products of South Korea with a U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) or Most Favored Nation tariff rate, as applicable, equal to or greater than 15 percent, no additional Section 232 tariff shall apply.
- The United States will remove the International Emergency Economic Powers Act reciprocal tariffs for certain goods included in Annex III, also known as the list of Potential Tariff Adjustments for Aligned Partners (PTAAP), as well as certain aircraft and parts.
- Official implementation documentation has not been published.
