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Ref. :EIC 111/3
EIC 111/3/13
31 July 2025
(Last updated on 6 August 2025)
Dear Sirs,
The US President on 30 July 2025 signed a proclamation invoking section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose a 50% tariff on copper imports effective from 1 August 2025.
2.Concurring with the US Secretary of Commerce (Secretary)’s finding under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 that copper is being imported into the US in quantities and under circumstances that threaten to impair the national security of the US, on 30 July 2025, the US President signed a proclamation invoking section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose a 50% tariff on copper imports effective from 1 August 2025. Among others, except as otherwise provided in the proclamation, all imports of semi-finished copper products and intensive copper derivative products, as set forth in the Annex to the proclamation, shall be subject to a 50% tariff. This tariff shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on 1 August 2025, and shall continue in effect, unless such action is expressly reduced, modified, or terminated. This tariff is in addition to any other duties, fees, exactions, and charges applicable to such imported semi-finished copper products and intensive copper derivative products, unless stated otherwise.
3.The US Secretary shall determine whether any modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) are necessary to effectuate the proclamation and shall make such modifications through notice in the Federal Register (FR) if needed. Within 90 days after the date of the proclamation, the US Secretary shall establish a process for including additional derivative copper articles within the scope of the duties of the proclamation.
4.The additional duties described in the proclamation above shall apply only to the copper content of articles subject to the proclamation. The non-copper content of all copper articles subject to the proclamation shall be subject to reciprocal tariffs and any other applicable duties. Besides, the copper 232 tariffs do not stack with auto 232 tariffs. If a product is subject to auto 232 tariffs, then the auto 232 tariffs apply, not the copper 232 tariffs. No drawback shall be available with respect to the duties imposed pursuant to the 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 message and FR notice:
Presidential proclamation
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/adjusting-imports-of-copper-into-the-united-states/
White House’s fact sheet
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-takes-action-to-address-the-threat-to-national-security-from-imports-of-copper/
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Guidance - Section 232 Import Duties on Copper and Copper Derivative Products
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-3ebf0e0?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
FR notice
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-08-05/pdf/2025-14893.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.