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e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref. :EIC 111/3
EIC 111/3/13
4 June 2025
(Updated on 11 June 2025)
Dear Sirs,
Further to Commercial Information Circulars (CICs) No. 148/2025, 200/2025, 220/2025 and 398/2025 dated 12 February 2025, 6 March 2025, 12 March 2025 and 30 April 2025 respectively on the US’ tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, the US President on 3 June 2025 signed a proclamation to increase the tariff rate for imports of steel articles and derivative steel articles, and aluminium articles and derivative aluminium articles, from 25% to 50% effective from 4 June 2025.
2.Pursuant to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the US imposed additional tariffs of 25% and 10% on respectively steel and aluminium products imported from all countries/economies (except certain economies which are fully exempted or subject to quotas) on 23 March 2018 under the “Section 232 investigation”. The US further included certain derivatives of steel and aluminium products for the additional tariffs on 8 February 2020. On 10 February 2025, the US President signed two proclamations to reinstate 25% tariff on steel imports and increase tariffs on aluminium imports to 25% from all countries/economies (unless otherwise specified), with effect from 12 March 2025. Subsequently, the US President on 29 April 2025 signed an Executive Order to address certain section 232 tariffs on imported articles to avoid the cumulative effect of overlapping tariffs.
3.On 3 June 2025, the US President signed a proclamation to increase the tariff rate for imports of steel articles and derivative steel articles, and aluminium articles and derivative aluminium articles, from 25% ad valorem to 50% ad valorem effective from 4 June 2025 as set forth in Annexes I and II to this proclamation, unless otherwise specified. The relevant modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) made by this proclamation shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on 4 June 2025, and shall continue in effect, unless such actions are expressly reduced, modified, or terminated.
4.Notwithstanding any prior proclamation or Executive Order, the non-aluminium, non-steel content of all aluminium and steel articles and derivative articles shall be subject to reciprocal tariffs and any other applicable tariffs. The additional ad valorem duties on steel and aluminium imports described above shall apply only to the steel content of articles in Chapter 73 of the HTSUS and only to the aluminium content of articles in Chapter 76 of the HTSUS. No drawback shall be available with respect to the duties imposed pursuant to this proclamation.
5.For further details, please refer to the presidential proclamation, the White House’s fact sheet, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s messages and Federal Register (FR) notice:
Presidential proclamation (3 June 2025)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/adjusting-imports-of-aluminum-and-steel-into-the-united-states/
White House’s fact sheet (3 June 2025)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/06/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-increases-section-232-tariffs-on-steel-and-aluminum/
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Updated Guidance - Import Duties on Imports of Steel and Steel Derivative Products (3 June 2025)
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-3e36d96?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Updated Guidance - Import Duties on Imports of Aluminum and Aluminum Derivative Products (3 June 2025)
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-3e36ea5?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Updated Guidance - Proclamation “Adjusting Imports of Aluminum and Steel in the United States,” Amending Executive Order 14289, “Addressing Certain Tariffs on Imported Articles” (3 June 2025)
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-3e36e5e?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Updated Guidance - Import Duties on Imports of Steel and Steel Derivative Products (9 June 2025)
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-3e43b34?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Updated Guidance - Import Duties on Imports of Aluminum and Aluminum Derivative Products (9 June 2025)
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-3e43a50?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
FR notice (9 June 2025)
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-06-09/pdf/2025-10524.pdf
6.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact us at telephone number 2398 5405.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Kwany KOU)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
Note: While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.