Trump Delays Collection Of Some Duties

On Sunday, President Trump signed an Executive Order giving Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin the authority to delay the collection of some duties - excluding 232s and 301s - for 90 days, dating back to March 2020. This move comes as the President faces heightened pressure from the business community to reduce or remove tariffs on Chinese goods as American businesses struggle with the impacts of the coronavirus shutdowns.

Notably, however, this deferral does not apply to all tariffs, specifically anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed on goods the U.S. government has determined are unfairly priced or illegally subsidized or both. Additionally, importers must demonstrate significant financial hardship to qualify, so will need to show a 30 percent decline in gross receipts resulting in full or in part from a closure due to government order. Eligible importers will not need to file additional documentation with Customs and Border Patrol to be eligible for this relief but must maintain documentation as part of their books and records establishing that they meet the requirements for relief.

Secretary Mnuchin said that the move would “provide much-needed relief to affected businesses[.]”