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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref. : EIC 111/2/18
EIC 111/3
EIC 111/3/13

16 March 2018

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 264/2018

US : Additional Tariffs against Imported Steel and Aluminium

Further to Commercial Information Circular (CIC) No. 240/2018 of 9 March 2018 regarding the proclamations by the President of the United States (US) on 8 March 2018 to impose additional tariffs of 25% and 10% on steel and aluminium products respectively imported from all countries/economies (except Canada and Mexico) with effect from 23 March 2018 (US time), Hong Kong manufacturers exporting the affected categories of products to the US are encouraged to contact the Trade and Industry Department (TID) for advice and assistance in making representation to the US Department of Commerce to exclude their product from unilateral tariffs, when the related procedures are released by the US.

DETAILS

2.The US President signed on 8 March 2018 two proclamations to impose additional tariffs of 25% and 10% on steel and aluminum products respectively imported from all countries/economies (except Canada and Mexico) with effect from 23 March 2018 (US time).  According to the proclamations, the US Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with other Federal agencies, is authorized to provide relief from the additional duties for any steel or aluminum articles determined not to be produced in the US in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of a satisfactory quality, or based upon specific national security considerations.  Such relief shall be provided for steel or aluminum articles only after a request for exclusion is made by a directly affected party located in the US.

3.The US Secretary of Commerce will issue procedures for such requests for exclusion within 10 days after the date of the proclamation on 8 March 2018.  In this connection, Hong Kong manufacturers exporting the affected categories of products to the US are encouraged to contact TID for advice and assistance in making representation to the US Department of Commerce to exclude their product from unilateral tariffs, when the related procedures are released by the US.  We shall issue a CIC to inform the trade when the procedures are announced by the US.

4.The relevant Federal Register notices and fact sheet on the proclamations are set out below for reference:

  • Presidential Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Steel:
    https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-03-15/pdf/2018-05478.pdf
  • Presidential Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Aluminium:
    https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-03-15/pdf/2018-05477.pdf
  • Fact Sheet on the Proclamations:
    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-addressing-unfair-trade-practices-threaten-harm-national-security/

ENQUIRIES

5.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 3403 6099.

Yours faithfully,

(Jasper LAM)
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.