301 Tariffs on a Variety of Goods to Increase Sept. 27

Imports from China of electric vehicles, EV batteries, solar cells and wafers, face masks, needles and syringes, critical minerals and steel and aluminum will all be hiked Sept. 27, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced Sept. 13, as part of a longer-term modification of Section 301 duties.

The USTR made some changes from the original proposal, including doubling the tariff on syringes from 50% to 100%; making an exclusion for enteral syringes; and providing an exemption for a new tariff on ship-to-shore cranes for cranes ordered before May 14. The action also temporarily drops Section 301 tariffs on some industrial machinery and adds various tariff lines outside solar manufacturing.

The previous announcement had immediately dropped tariffs on 19 types of solar panel manufacturing equipment; the modification has restored tariffs on five of the 19, for machines that help make modules, rather than wafers or cells.

For non-solar industrial equipment exclusions, each importer will have to apply for an exclusion, and those opposing the exclusion will have an opportunity to express their views.