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Ref. :EIC 111/3
EIC 111/3/13
30 September 2025
(Last updated on 13 October 2025)
Dear Sirs,
The US President on 29 September 2025 signed a proclamation invoking section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose tariffs on imports of timber, lumber and their derivative products with effect from 14 October 2025.
DETAILS
2.Concurring with the US Secretary of Commerce’s finding under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 that wood products are being imported into the US in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the US, on 29 September 2025, the US President signed a proclamation invoking section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose tariffs on imports of timber, lumber and their derivative products. Among others, except as otherwise provided in the proclamation and as set forth in Annex I to the proclamation -
The rates of duty established in the proclamation shall apply with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption with effect from 14 October 2025. Effective from 1 January 2026, the duty rates in (ii) and (iii) above shall increase to 30% and 50% respectively.
3.Except as otherwise provided in the proclamation, the tariffs imposed in the proclamation are in addition to any other duties, taxes, fees, exactions, and charges applicable to such imported wood products. On the other hand, products tariffed pursuant to the proclamation shall not be subject to any reciprocal tariffs. Besides, if any wood product is subject to both tariffs under this proclamation and Section 232 tariff on automobiles and automobile parts, the wood product shall be subject to Section 232 tariff on autos and not those imposed pursuant to the proclamation. Drawback shall be available with respect to the duties imposed pursuant to the proclamation.
4.The US 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). Besides, the US shall establish a process for including additional wood products within the scope of the tariffs described in the proclamation.
5.For further details, please refer to the presidential proclamation, the White House’s fact sheet, the FR notice and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s message:
Presidential proclamation
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/adjusting-imports-of-timber-lumber-and-their-derivative-products-into-the-united-states/
White House’s fact sheet
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/09/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-addresses-the-threat-to-national-security-from-imports-of-timber-lumber-and-their-derivative-products-e810/
FR notice
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-10-06/pdf/2025-19482.pdf
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Guidance - Section 232 Import Duties on Timber, Lumber, and their Derivative Products
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-3f69699?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
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.