Changes to U.S. Tariff Policy on Steel and Aluminum Imports
On February 10, 2025, the Trump Administration issued Presidential Proclamations under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, introducing significant modifications to U.S. tariff policy on steel and aluminum imports. These changes will take effect on March 12, 2025, and impact importers, manufacturers, and global trade relations.
Learn more about the Changes to U.S. Tariff Policy on Steel and Aluminum Imports below.
Key Changes
All steel and aluminum imports, regardless of origin, will be subject to a 25% tariff.
Elimination of Country-Specific Exemptions: Countries previously benefiting from tariff exemptions—including Australia, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, the EU, Japan, and the UK—will be treated the same as all other exporting nations.
Abolition of Product Exclusions: Effective February 11, 2025, the product exclusion process will be discontinued.
Stricter CBP Enforcement: CBP will impose harsher penalties for tariff misclassification.
All prior exemptions or reductions are revoked, meaning all countries, except Russia, will face identical tariff treatment.
Pending applications will be denied, though previously granted exclusions remain valid until expiration or depletion of allotted volume.
General Approved Exclusions (GAEs) will expire on March 12, 2025. Companies relying on exemptions or GAEs must ensure imports arriving near the deadline are entered for consumption no later than March 11, 2025, to avoid the 25% tariff.
Expansion of Tariffs on Derivative Products
Additional derivative steel and aluminum products will be identified by the Department of Commerce through an upcoming Annex. These tariffs will take effect later once Commerce certifies that adequate tariff collection systems are in place. A new process will also allow U.S. domestic producers to request the addition of further derivative products to the tariff list.
However, derivatives produced outside the U.S. from steel melted and poured in the U.S. or aluminum smelted and cast in the U.S. will remain exempt. For derivatives classified outside of Chapter 73 or 76, the 25% tariff will apply only to the steel or aluminum content, not the entire product.
200% Tariff on Russian Aluminum
Imports of derivative aluminum articles containing any primary aluminum smelted or cast in Russia will be subject to a heightened 200% tariff.
Next Steps for Importers
The full implementation details will be published in a future Federal Register notice, including additional derivative product listings. Importers should monitor these notices for updates, including potential exemptions under Chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).
We will continue to monitor these changes closely and keep our trade partners informed with timely updates.
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