White House Announces Reinstatement of Steel Tariffs and Increase Aluminum Tariffs

Dear Valued Customer,

On February 10, 2025, the White House announced proclamations on steel and aluminum, reinstating tariffs under the authority of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

Effective March 12, 2025, the steel and aluminum tariff rates will be 25 percent.  The proclamations address key reforms to include eliminating all alternative agreements, applying strict “melted and poured” standards, expanding tariffs to include key downstream products, terminating all general approved exclusions and enforcement of tariff misclassification and duty evasion.

Steel

• 25 percent tariff will apply to steel and steel derivative products.
• Exemptions are no longer available for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the European Union, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. 
•  Any exclusions will not apply.

Aluminum

• Tariff rate will increase from 10 percent to 25 percent for aluminum and aluminum derivative products.
• Reportedly, any derivative aluminum article that is not in Chapter 76, the additional 25 percent tariff will apply only to the aluminum content of the derivative article.
• Tariffs on aluminum derivative products will be effective once the Commerce Department reports that adequate systems are in place to fully, efficiently, and expediently process and collect tariff revenue for covered articles.
• Granted product exclusions will remain in effect until their expiration date or until excluded product volume is imported, whichever comes first. 

The announcement on “Adjusting Imports of Aluminum into The United States” is pending official publication at www.whitehouse.gov. The annex for both steel and aluminum tariffs with additional details is expected to be published.

Resources:

• Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores Section 232 Tariffs – The White House
• Adjusting Imports of Steel into The United States – The White House

Thank you for being a Valued Customer.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your C. H. Robinson commercial representative for further information.

Sincerely,

C. H. Robinson