New U.S. Section 301 Tariffs
🔓 The U.S. will implement new Section 301 tariffs within hours, replacing the temporary Section 122 tariffs. Importing businesses should review their exposure immediately.
Summary: The Trump Administration has announced a significant expansion of U.S. trade measures through new Section 301 tariffs, effective 12:01 a.m. EDT on 24 July 2026. The new duties replace the temporary worldwide 10% Section 122 tariffs, which expire at midnight on 23 July 2026. Unlike the temporary emergency tariffs, the new measures introduce differentiated tariff rates depending on the country of origin and include special rules for several major trading partners, including the European Union, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland. Importers, exporters, customs brokers and multinational manufacturers should review their customs strategies immediately to understand how these measures could affect duty costs, sourcing decisions and supply chain resilience. |
Why Has the United States Introduced These Tariffs?
The latest measures follow a series of investigations conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act, which allows the United States to impose trade remedies where foreign trade practices are considered harmful to U.S. commerce.
According to the Administration, these new tariffs are intended to strengthen domestic manufacturing, reduce unfair trading practices and encourage greater resilience across critical supply chains.
The measures also replace the temporary Section 122 tariffs that were introduced as emergency trade actions.
Which Countries Are Affected?
The new tariff structure applies two different additional duty rates.
Countries Subject to an Additional 10% Tariff
The following countries will be subject to an additional 10% Section 301 duty:
Argentina
Bangladesh
Cambodia
Canada
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Jordan
Malaysia
Mexico
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Trinidad & Tobago
United Kingdom
Countries Subject to an Additional 12.5% Tariff
Most remaining countries investigated under the Administration's review will now face an additional 12.5% tariff, including several major U.S. trading partners such as:
China
Vietnam
Thailand
Australia
Brazil
Israel
Türkiye
United Arab Emirates
South Africa
Special Rules Apply to Certain Trading Partners
The Administration has also introduced special duty calculations for several important trading partners.
European Union and Taiwan
Where the normal U.S. tariff is below 10%, an additional Section 301 tariff will apply to increase the combined duty to 10%.
Where the existing tariff is already 10% or higher, no additional Section 301 duty will be added.
Japan, South Korea and Switzerland
For these countries, the combined tariff will be increased to 12.5% where existing duties are below that level.
Where existing tariffs already exceed 12.5%, no additional duty applies.
These differentiated approaches demonstrate that businesses must calculate landed costs carefully rather than assuming a single tariff rate applies across all imports.
Products Excluded From the New Tariffs
Several important product categories remain outside the scope of the new measures.
Major exemptions include:
Products already covered by Section 232 tariffs
Pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment
Pig iron
Aluminium scrap
Fertiliser inputs
Pesticide inputs
Agricultural seeds
Certain coffee products
Certain sugar products
Selected animal products
Battery scrap
Wood products
Antiques
Artwork
Collectibles
These exemptions reduce the impact on several strategic industries while maintaining pressure on other imported goods.
What Should Businesses Do Now?
The new tariffs become effective almost immediately, leaving businesses with very limited preparation time.
Importers should now:
Review country of origin classifications.
Confirm applicable tariff rates.
Recalculate landed costs.
Review supplier contracts.
Assess customs valuation implications.
Examine sourcing alternatives where commercially viable.
Strengthen customs compliance procedures.
Monitor further U.S. trade announcements.
Businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions should also consider how these measures interact with existing Section 232 tariffs, Rules of Origin requirements and customs valuation obligations.
Looking Ahead
The introduction of these new Section 301 tariffs marks another significant shift in U.S. trade policy and highlights the continuing use of tariff measures as a strategic trade and industrial policy tool.
For businesses importing into the United States, customs compliance and proactive supply chain planning will become increasingly important as global trade policies continue to evolve.
Organisations that understand their tariff exposure, maintain accurate customs data and regularly monitor regulatory developments will be better positioned to manage costs, reduce compliance risks and respond quickly to future policy changes.
Sources
The White House – Presidential Memorandum
Actions by the United States in the Investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 Related to the Failure of 60 Economies to Prohibit Imports Produced with Forced Labor
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
CSMS Messages (Cargo Systems Messaging Service) – Operational Guidance for the New Section 301 Tariffs
Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
USTR Takes Action in Forced Labor Section 301 Investigations
Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
Fact Sheet: USTR Section 301 Action in Response to the Failure of 60 Economies to Ban Imports Produced with Forced Labor
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Author
Ann Karen | Head of Growth
Updated: July 2026
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Disclaimer
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, customs or tax advice. Businesses should seek professional advice based on their individual trading arrangements and compliance obligations.
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