By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will exclude 21 product types from the 25% tariffs imposed July 6, 2018, on $34 billion worth of products from China. The USTR exclusions are primarily for non-automotive applications.
Products subject to the Chinese tariffs cover 818 separate Harmonized Tariff Code listings, including miscellaneous metal and rubber parts for auto equipment, machinery, tools, measurement and medical devices. The 21 product types granted exclusions range from motor vehicle gear-shift switch assemblies (8536.50.9065) to roller machines for cutting paper and fabric, water oxidizers, ratchet winches, stainless-steel steering wheels for watercraft and ball bearings of a width not exceeding 30 mm.
In related news, negotiations to reach an accord on U.S./China trade disputes continue. As part of the “Americans for Free Trade” Coalition, SEMA joined with 150 other organizations in supporting U.S. goals while urging President Trump to remove the recently imposed tariffs. The Coalition recommended:
- The full and immediate removal of all recently imposed tariffs, including U.S. tariffs and China’s retaliatory tariffs as part of a final deal.
- A deal that levels the playing field for U.S. companies by achieving meaningful changes to address China’s unfair trade practices that put American technology, innovation and intellectual property at risk.
- Avoidance of any enforcement mechanism that would trigger further tariffs.
- Clarity on how the tariff exemption process will be carried out in the event of a deal.
- An economic assessment by the Administration examining the costs of tariffs for American businesses and consumers.
For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.