Latest news with #USCustoms
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Where does court ruling leave Trump's tariff agenda?
The US Court of International Trade on Wednesday struck down President Donald Trump's tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The court ruled IEEPA did not give the president the authority to impose certain tariffs. This affects the "fentanyl" tariffs imposed by the White House on Canada, Mexico, China since Trump returned to the White House. These tariffs were brought in to curb smuggling of the narcotic into the US. It also affects the so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs announced on 2 April, including the universal 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the US. However, the ruling does not affect the Trump administration's 25% "sectoral" tariffs on steel and aluminium imports and also his 25% additional tariffs on cars and car part imports, as these were implemented under a different legal justification. A US federal appeals court decided on Thursday night that Trump's global tariffs can temporarily stay in place while it considers the White House's appeal against the trade court's judgement - but the future of the President's tariff agenda remains in the balance. Data from US Customs shows the amount of revenue collected in the 2025 financial year to date (ie between 1 October 2024 and 30 April) under various tariffs. The data gives an approximate sense of the proportion of tariffs struck down and unaffected by the trade court's ruling. It shows the tariffs imposed under IEEPA on China, Mexico and Canada in relation to the fentanyl smuggling had brought in $11.8bn (£8.7bn) since February 2025. The 10% reciprocal tariffs - also justified under IEEPA - implemented in April had brought in $1.2bn (£890m). On the other side of the ledger, the tariffs on metals and car parts - which are unaffected by this ruling - brought in around $3.3bn (£2.4bn), based on rounded figures. And the biggest source of tariff revenue for the US in the period was from tariffs imposed on China dating back to Trump's first term in office, which raised $23.4bn (£17.3bn). These are also not affected by the court ruling, as they were not justified by IEEPA. Faisal Islam: Tariff ruling completely changes the global trade war Simon Jack: Tariff ruling doesn't really change US-UK deal US trade court blocks Trump's sweeping tariffs. What happens now? However, this is a backward looking picture - and the new tariffs were expected to raise considerably more revenue over a full financial year. Analysts at the investment bank Goldman Sachs have estimated that the tariffs the trade court has struck down were likely to have raised almost $200bn (£148bn) on an annual basis. In terms of the overall impact on Donald Trump's tariff agenda, the consultancy Capital Economics estimates the court ruling would reduce the US's average external tariff this year from 15% to 6.5%. This would still be a considerable increase on the 2.5% level of 2024 and would be the highest since 1970. Yet 15% would have been the highest since the late 1930s. Trump had been using his tariffs as negotiating leverage in talks with countries hit by his 2 April tariffs. Some analysts believe this trade court ruling will mean countries will now be less likely to rush to secure deals with the US. The European Union (EU) intensified negotiations with the White House last weekend after Trump threatened to increase the tariff on the bloc to 50% under IEEPA. The EU - and others, such as Japan and Australia - might now judge it would be more prudent to wait to see what happens to the White House's appeal against the trade court ruling before making any trade concessions to the US to secure a deal. The response of stock markets around the world to the trade court ruling on Wednesday suggested it would be positive. But it also means greater uncertainty. Some analysts say Trump could attempt to reimpose the tariffs under different legal justifications. For instance, Trump could attempt to re-implement the tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which empowers the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to address foreign practices that violate trade agreements or are deemed "discriminatory". And Trump has also threatened other sectoral tariffs, including on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. Those could still go into effect if they are not justified by IEEPA. Last month the World Trade Organization (WTO) said that the outlook for global trade had "deteriorated sharply" due to Trump's tariffs. The WTO said it expected global merchandise trade to decline by 0.2% in 2025 as a result, having previously projected it would grow by 2.7 per cent this year. The trade court ruling - if it holds - might help global trade perform somewhat better than this. But the dampening impact of uncertainty regarding whether US tariffs will materialise or not remains. The bottom line is that many economists think trade will still be very badly affected this year. "Trump's trade war is not over – not by a long shot," is the verdict of Grace Fan of the consultancy TS Lombard. What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
How to Avoid a Huge Customs Bill on a Cheap Online Order
A whole lot of items worth less than $800 are imported from overseas: Between October 2023 and September 2024, 1.36 billion de minimis shipments entered the US. But because those items weren't especially valuable, buyers didn't have to pay tariffs on them. 'It's crazy amounts of stuff,' said Lawrence Friedman, a Chicago-based attorney who has been practicing trade law for more than 30 years. 'The whole point of this de minimis exception has been that it is not worth the administrative trouble to collect this small amount of duties.' Now items made in China or Hong Kong sent via the international postal network are subject to a tax of either 54% of their value or a flat rate of $100 per postal item. Products shipped through services such as FedEx, DHL, and UPS are now 'subject to all applicable duties,' which, broadly speaking, means the current tariffs of 30% for products from China. In early May, those numbers were as high as 120% of their value for postal items and 145% for products shipped by courier, which is how we ended up with a $158 ukulele. I placed orders at AliExpress, Amazon Haul, Quince, Shein, and the aforementioned China-based headphones company to arrive at customs after the de minimis exemption was lifted. I also spoke to four international-trade attorneys, as well as representatives from US Customs and Border Protection, DHL, FedEx, and UPS, all to figure out: Who's on the hook for these bills? How much can you expect to pay? And how does this change online shopping? My haul for this article. Kimber Streams/NYT Wirecutter Many retailers are doing what they can to avoid passing on surprise fees to shoppers. Some have raised prices, added import fees at checkout, and promised not to charge buyers extra at delivery. One gaming-handheld maker, Retroid, has even offered to cover any unexpected customs charges. Temu and other retailers have paused shipments from China and limited fulfillment to US warehouses. Some companies, such as Quince, have rapidly moved manufacturing operations away from China. But despite everything retailers are doing to help, if the full fee isn't collected when you purchase an item, you could be on the hook for a customs bill at delivery. Here are a few simple steps you can take to shop wisely, and what your options are if you get a surprise bill. You don't have to worry about a customs bill unless your purchase is coming into the US from another country. If you buy something that ships locally from a US retailer — such as first-party purchases from Amazon, Best Buy, or Walmart — or a warehouse located in the US, the import fees have already been paid and are included in the price you pay at checkout. But it's easy to click that buy button without even thinking about it. Friedman, for example, recently purchased a new watch band and didn't realize it was shipped from Montreal until he received the FedEx shipping notification. 'This is my job, and I didn't even notice it was an imported watch band,' he said. To find out where a product ships from: Look for warehouse options. Some companies allow you to choose whether your order is shipped from a US warehouse or an international warehouse. Some companies allow you to choose whether your order is shipped from a US warehouse or an international warehouse. Check a company's shipping-policy page. It may say where a product ships from or contain information on warehouse locations for different regions. This page can also provide information on which shipping company the seller works with. It may say where a product ships from or contain information on warehouse locations for different regions. This page can also provide information on which shipping company the seller works with. Ask customer support. Take this step, but keep in mind that in our experience, some chat-support representatives didn't know the answer or provided inaccurate information. If you do this, save the conversation and order with a payment method that provides buyer protection in the event that you have to dispute unexpected charges. If your order is shipping internationally — from any country, not just China or Hong Kong — you should confirm where the product was made. The tariff is determined based on this, the country of origin, not the country from which it is shipped. So even if a product is shipped to you from Canada but made in China, as our ukulele was, these fees apply to your purchase. Unfortunately, finding out if a product is made in China can be tricky to impossible when you're shopping online. Here are two quick ways to check if a product was made in China: Search for 'China' and 'Hong Kong' on the product page. This information may be buried behind a drop-down or menu; using Ctrl+F can help. This information may be buried behind a drop-down or menu; using Ctrl+F can help. Ask customer support via email or chat. But again, the agent may not always have accurate information. Save a screenshot of the conversation in case you need it for a dispute. If you've determined that a product is made in China or Hong Kong — or if you haven't definitively proven that it isn't — look for tariff or import charges during the checkout process. You might not be happy to see those additional fees at purchase, but it's much better to know what you owe up front than to get a surprise bill weeks later. You may also see something called delivery duty paid (DDP) shipping, which means that duties will be covered by the shipper. In contrast, delivery duty unpaid (DDU) or 'tax unpaid' shipping means you're likely to owe the full amount of duties, brokerage charges, and other fees when your item is delivered. Magicx asked for my Tax ID during checkout but we don't recommend giving out your Social Security number to any retailer. Watch out for companies asking for your Tax ID — which, for individual shoppers, means your Social Security number — at checkout. This information is necessary to list you as the 'importer of record,' which means you're responsible for the duties. We also don't recommend giving any retailer your Social Security number. You can also contact customer support to ask who will be listed as the importer on the shipment — if it's you, you're legally responsible for the duties. Shipping carriers pay the tariff to get a package through US Customs. Then, if the fee hasn't already been covered up front by the seller, the carrier may pass it along to you at delivery. Even though the tariff numbers differ for packages that go through USPS versus couriers like DHL and UPS, the process is the same: The carrier will notify you before delivery that you owe duties and how much, and you have to pay in order for the carrier to release the package. (We reached out to FedEx, but it did not confirm its process.) An example of a customs bill we received from DHL for this article. If you expected a bill — perhaps your seller warned you at checkout that you'd be responsible for duties at delivery — and the amount looks correct, you can go ahead and pay it. We recommend looking at the paperwork provided by the shipping carrier to confirm that you haven't been stuck with any outsize administrative or brokerage fees. But if the bill is exorbitant or a surprise (or an exorbitant surprise), you have a few options: Ask the seller for help. First, contact the retailer you purchased from. It may be able to work with the shipping carrier to cover the charge. Some companies, like Retroid, have offered to cover these bills for their customers during this period of confusion. First, contact the retailer you purchased from. It may be able to work with the shipping carrier to cover the charge. Some companies, like Retroid, have offered to cover these bills for their customers during this period of confusion. Dispute the charge. If the seller can't or won't help, you can dispute the charge with the courier if you think the tariff or brokerage fees have been improperly calculated. Mistakes happen — these shipping companies are currently dealing with a lot of extra paperwork as a result of this de minimis change. If the seller can't or won't help, you can dispute the charge with the courier if you think the tariff or brokerage fees have been improperly calculated. Mistakes happen — these shipping companies are currently dealing with a lot of extra paperwork as a result of this de minimis change. Refuse the package. If you cannot or don't want to pay the fee, you may be able to refuse delivery. But you don't get your stuff, and depending on the seller's policy, you may be responsible for return shipping. You may not get a refund for your order, either. We've seen claims floating around that delivery companies will send unpaid customs bills to collections, but we haven't seen evidence of that happening. Shipping couriers have a contract with the shipper, not with the recipient. FedEx's and UPS's policies say that they try to collect customs fees from the recipient at delivery, but if the recipient doesn't pay, the shipper is responsible. While DHL says that recipients are responsible for duties, the company also provides instructions for how to refuse a package at delivery. If your package goes through USPS, though, that might be a different story. If you're listed as the importer of record on the shipment, you are responsible for the duties and processing fees owed to the US government. If you cannot or don't want to pay the fee, you may be able to refuse delivery. But you don't get your stuff, and depending on the seller's policy, you may be responsible for return shipping. You may not get a refund for your order, either. Make use of purchase protection. Some sellers — such as e-reader company Boox, for example — say they will not refund your order if you refuse to pay duties at delivery. But if you contacted customer support before purchasing and were told that the product was made in or shipping from a different country, you may be able to use buyer protection to get your money back. Think twice if you receive a text, email, or phone call about issues with a package that claims to be from DHL, FedEx, USPS, or another shipping carrier. This is a common scam used to steal personal and financial information, and scammers may try to take advantage of the current tariff confusion. If you're concerned about a delivery, check the package tracking with the company you ordered from and contact the shipping carrier directly — never tap or click a link in a text or email. Although I had no idea what would happen, I definitely didn't expect the lengths to which retailers would go to shelter me, a customer, from the effects of these changes. Without notifying me, Shein swapped my first international order to a local shipment to prevent fees. And even though Quince's chat support said that my sweater would ship from China, it was fulfilled from a local warehouse instead. Before the headphones company shipped my order, it emailed me with a warning about customs fees, a detailed breakdown of how much to expect, and an offer of alternative shipping options that would include duties. I had to confirm: Yes, I really did want these headphones and the 145% bill that was supposed to come with them. I'm lucky — the only surprise I got was a bill that was much lower than I expected. It's unclear whether the de minimis exemption will ever be reinstated — or if it will be closed for additional countries in the future — or what the tariffs on China will be on any given day. But if you follow our advice, you'll hopefully avoid a surprise bill. If you do get one, we want to hear from you: Email us at notes@ This article was edited by Caitlin McGarry and Jason Chen. Lawrence Friedman, partner at Barnes, Richardson & Colburn in Chicago, video interview, May 14, 2025 Josephine Aiello LeBeau, partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, video interview, April 29, 2025 Anne Seymour, senior counsel at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, video interview, April 29, 2025 Jahna Hartwig, of counsel at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, video interview, April 29, 2025 What I Cover I've been Wirecutter's resident laptop expert for more than a decade. In that time, I've tested hundreds of laptops—including ultrabooks, gaming laptops, Chromebooks, and budget Windows laptops—as well as thousands of keyboards, mice, and other peripherals.
Travel Daily News
13-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Tourism is a big deal
Tourism supports 15 million U.S. jobs and $2.9 trillion in activity, but international travel declines threaten economic and cultural connections nationwide. You might have heard it said recently that the decline in international tourism into the United States is not a big deal. However, as 15 million Americans know, tourism is a big deal. Fifteen million is the number of U.S. jobs supported by travel – more than 10 percent of the American workforce. And travel is a fiscal dynamo in the United States, responsible for nearly $2.9 trillion in economic activity each year, not to mention critical tax revenue at the federal, state, and local levels. It's also a big deal that last year alone, international visitors infused $181 billion into the U.S. economy, spending their money on hotels, dining, shopping, activities, attractions, and transportation. Beyond the economic benefits of tourism, there's also the intrinsic value of travel, as it connects cultures, building bridges of understanding between peoples and nations. As a nation that relies on tourism, though, the United States faces a rocky road ahead. According to the International Trade Administration, arrivals of noncitizens into the U.S. dropped by more than 11 percent in March compared to last year. And data from the U.S Customs and Border Protection reveals even larger decreases specifically among Canadian travelers, down 18 percent in March. NTA members have shared with me a startling number of clients outside the U.S. who are canceling travel into this country, citing hostility at the border, escalating trade wars, political rhetoric, and economic uncertainty. To compound the problem, that same economic uncertainty is threatening domestic travel within the United States, as Americans curtail their spending in the face of higher prices. In a recent survey conducted by NTA in collaboration with the American Bus Association and the Student Youth Travel Association, 51 percent of our members – packaged travel professionals – say their business or destination has already lost business, bookings, or visitation from Canadian or overseas groups. And among destination marketing organizations, attractions, hotels, and restaurants, 63 percent report seeing declines. A similar number of professionals say they're seeing a decline in future business or leads from international travelers. But while the threat to the U.S. travel industry is strong, we are stronger. Americans have faced tourism pitfalls before – recession, terrorists, and pandemic – yet we always climb out of it. And we also will rise above this current challenge. We will do so because at our core, Americans are welcoming people. We can overlook politics and focus on people. We can open our country's doors … to the world. Is tourism a big deal? Absolutely. Tourism pays bills and builds bridges. It enlivens and inspires. It opens eyes and minds. Tourism lifts our economy, but even more, it lifts the human spirit. And that, truly, is a big deal.
BreakingNews.ie
07-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Expanded US customs and border protection facility at Dublin Airport approved
An Bord Pleanála has given the green light to the operator of Dublin Airport, daa, for a planned expansion of the airport's existing US Customs Pre-Clearance and Border Protection facility. The grant of permission by An Bord Pleanála overturns a planning refusal by Fingal Co Council for the planned extension issued in July 2023. Advertisement The Council refused planning permission to daa for the expanded CBP after finding that the proposal would be premature pending the determination by the road authority of the detailed road network to serve the area. In response, daa lodged an appeal with its consultants, Coakley O'Neill hitting out at the Council refusal describing it as 'entirely unexpected, totally unreasonable and unjustified'. Now, almost two years on, the appeals board has granted planning permission for the facility which daa first proposed to deal with the 'chronic congestion' at the existing CBP facility. In a statement daa stated that 'it welcomes An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant permission, (after Fingal County Council refused) to extend the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) area at Dublin Airport. Advertisement Daa stated that 'Dublin Airport is the fifth largest hub for transatlantic connectivity in Europe and ABP recognised that the extension 'would promote Dublin Airport's status as a secondary hub, improving international connectivity and competitiveness in line with local, regional and national policy". The airport operator stated that 'Dublin Airport can now get on with improving the area for a better passenger experience'. In its decision, the appeals board also concluded that the proposal would not give rise to unacceptable impacts on traffic safety and convenience during the construction phase and operation and would not detract from the visual amenities or character of the area. A consultant's report lodged with the application in May 2023 outlined the capacity difficulties that the existing CBP presented. Advertisement The Coakley O'Neill report told the Council that the CBP overflow queuing system was required to be used five out of every seven days in the Summer of 2022 and was projected to be required even more in Summer 2023. They stated that the overflow queuing system 'is technically and logistically complex and cumbersome'. Coakley O'Neill stated that 'is is therefore the case that the current CBP facility does not have the capacity to cater for the existing passengers'. Coakley O'Neill stated that the proposed development 'is undeniably needed to ensure the efficient, comfortable and safe operation of the CBP facility at Dublin airport'. The CBP facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports allow US bound passengers to undertake all US immigration, customs and agriculture inspections at the airports prior to departure. The CBP facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports gives the airports a competitive advantage over most other airports operating services to the US as passengers who clear pre-clearance at Dublin and Shannon airports are treated as domestic arrivals on arrival in the US, allowing them to avoid immigration queues upon arrival and pick up their bags and go.
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
China low-value package tariff exemption ends but questions remain over US collections
* US Customs says it is prepared to handle new inspection volume * Airlines, ocean vessel operators to collect new duties on parcels * Duties to be collected before goods are shipped out of China and Hong Kong * Shipping industry concerned about renewed delays, disruptions WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES, - The Trump administration ended U.S. duty-free access for low-value shipments from China and Hong Kong on Friday, removing the "de minimis" exemptions availed of by Shein, Temu and other e-commerce firms as well as traffickers of fentanyl and other illicit goods. The action restores an executive order from President Donald Trump in February that was quickly suspended due to a lack of screening procedures for sub-$800 shipments that sparked chaos at airports and caused millions of packages to pile up. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has "a massive task at hand" but is ready to handle the enforcement and collection of Trump's tariffs on small Chinese shipments, a spokesperson for the agency said. "We are prepared and equipped to carry out enhanced package screening and enforce orders effectively as outlined" in Trump's executive order ending de minimis treatment for China, the spokesperson added. The new procedures should not affect passenger wait times at airports and ports of entry, the spokesperson said. The packages are handled in the cargo section of airports, even when they arrive in the bellies of passenger planes. Under CBP's latest guidance, shipments from China and Hong Kong regardless of size will now be subject to Trump's new tariffs of 145% plus any prior duties, except for products such as smartphones which were excluded last month. These will largely be handled by express shippers such as FedEx, United Parcel Service or DHL, which have their own cargo handling facilities. Items valued at up to $800 and sent from China via postal services are treated differently. They are now subject to a tax of 120% of the package's value or a flat fee of $100 per package - an amount that rises to $200 in June. COLLECTIONS AT TAKE-OFF The U.S. Postal Service said it would not be involved in any duty collections. Instead, a USPS spokesperson said, airlines and vessel operators would need to work with shippers and Chinese postal authorities to pay the import taxes and show proof before the goods are transported out of China or Hong Kong. Although de minimis is a Latin term referring to matters of little importance, low-value shipments from China to the U.S. reached an estimated $5.1 billion in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. That made it the seventh-largest U.S. import category from China, behind video game consoles, but just ahead of computer monitors. Shippers were bracing for more package chaos, and some questioned whether airlines were prepared to handle duty collection from China Post and Hongkong Post. "We have the same worry about bottlenecks," said Kate Muth, executive director of the International Mailers Advisory Group , whose members include eBay and divisions of United Parcel Service, FedEx and DHL. "I don't think we're ready for the change because we're still awaiting some clarification around the rules," including how to define Chinese origin for goods that are shipped from other countries, Muth said. FORMAL ENTRY SHIFT A late change in the CBP's guidance took away a major complication for shippers, but created a potential new hurdle to enforcement as CBP temporarily suspended a rule that would have required formal customs entry for all shipments valued at over $250 containing goods that are also subject to punitive tariffs. Formal customs entry, normally associated with larger, containerized cargo, requires full 10-digit tariff codes for all items, advance electronic transmission of entry data and a bond to cover for customs liability. And it would have applied to many other countries now subject to U.S. tariffs imposed by Trump, creating a potential new crush of administrative paperwork for shippers. Instead, the suspension allows the use of informal entry procedures for shipments from China and Hong Kong valued at up to $800 and up to $2,500 from elsewhere, requiring no tariff codes and a less detailed contents description. Lori Wallach, director of Rethink Trade, which has advocated an end to the de minimis exemption, said the use of informal entry would make it harder to screen packages. "Without it being electronic or having an HTS code, the whole system that's used to inspect and to prioritize things that should be pulled for inspection doesn't work," Wallach said. Trump ended the de minimis exemption for China largely because it was being used for largely unscreened low-value shipments containing fentanyl precursor chemicals into the U.S., a phenomenon documented in a Reuters series about fentanyl.
