Overview

• Commerce’s BIS added hundreds of HTSUS lines effective Aug. 18, with most reports citing 407 new codes and some counting 428, imposing 50% duties on the steel or aluminum content of covered imports and 25% for the U.K.
• The tariffs apply only to embedded metal value, yet CBP now requires separate valuation and reporting on entry documents, creating risk that the full product is assessed at 50% if precise metal values are not provided.
• The additions span an unusually wide range of items, including packaged foods, cosmetics, appliances, engines, machinery, vehicles, rail parts, and chemical products, triggering urgent classification and supply‑chain reviews.
• Canadian and U.K. manufacturers report immediate disruption, with industry groups urging policy responses and some companies describing clearance delays and backlogs at U.S. ports after the immediate effective date.
• The expansion came through a new petition‑driven inclusion process that approved most requests with limited public reasoning, with another filing window due in September and further Section 232 actions on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors indicated.