On July 31, 2026, the White House issued a Section 201 safeguard proclamation establishing a four-year tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on imports of certain quartz surface products (QSP) after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that increased imports were a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry.
Beginning August 15, 2026, imports of quartz surface products from non-exempt countries will be subject to a new four-year Section 201 safeguard program consisting of tariff-rate quotas and additional duties ranging from 25% to 50% in the first year.
The safeguard measure establishes a tariff-rate quota covering quartz surface products classified under HTSUS subheadings:
The measure covers a broad range of quartz-based surfaces, including but not limited to slabs, countertops, vanity tops, backsplashes, flooring, wall facings, shower surrounds, fireplace surrounds, and other fabricated surface products where silica is the predominant material by weight.
The safeguard measures apply to covered merchandise entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. EDT on August 15, 2026.
Merchandise admitted to Foreign Trade Zones after that date must be entered under Privileged Foreign Status.
The safeguard duties are cumulative with normal customs duties and any applicable AD/CVD duties. Existing trade remedy orders remain in effect.
Additional duty rate of 25%, decreasing annually to 19% over the four-year safeguard period.
Additional duty rate of 50%, decreasing annually to 47% over the four-year safeguard period.
The aggregate quota volume increases annually over the four-year safeguard period. The quota begins at approximately 13.0 million square meters in Year 1 and increases to approximately 15.7 million square meters by Year 4.
The safeguard measure excludes quartz surface products originating from Canada, Mexico, Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, qualifying Caribbean Basin beneficiaries, and numerous developing countries that meet WTO import-share thresholds.
Please contact your C.H. Robinson representative with any questions.
Check the Quota Status Level
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