November 3, 2020
U.S. CBP Issues Updated Section 232 Guidance for Canadian Aluminum Imports
On October 29, in Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) #44591106, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued updated Section 232 guidance on imports of aluminum articles from Canada.
The guidance reflects the changes made to Presidential Proclamation 10060 by U.S. President Trump on October 27, 2020, reinstating the Section 232 exclusion for certain non-alloyed unwrought aluminum articles from Canada.
This exclusion is effective from September 1, 2020. Goods entered prior to September 1, 2020 are still subject to the additional 10% duties under Section 232.
The guidance confirms a statement made by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer:
After consultations with the Canadian government, the United States has determined that trade in non-alloyed, unwrought aluminum is likely to normalize in the last four months of 2020, with imports declining sharply from the surges experienced earlier in the year. Average monthly imports are expected to decline 50 percent from the monthly average in the period of January through July. Accordingly, the United States will modify the terms of the 10 percent tariff imposed in August on imports of Canadian non-alloyed unwrought aluminum… Based on these expectations, the United States will resume duty-free treatment of non-alloyed, unwrought aluminum retroactive to September 1, 2020.