NewKerala.com

US Customs to Launch Streamlined Tariff Refund System Within 45 Days

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is developing a streamlined tariff refund system that could be operational within 45 days, following a Supreme Court ruling against the Trump administration's use of emergency powers for tariffs. The agency has collected approximately $166 billion in duties from over 330,000 importers under the now-invalidated program. Brandon Lord of CBP stated the new process will require minimal submission from importers, contrasting with the current system that would take an estimated 4.4 million man-hours to process refunds. Meanwhile, the administration is working to replace the emergency tariffs with new duties under different legal authorities.

Key Points: New US Tariff Refund System Could Be Ready in 45 Days

  • New system aims to simplify refunds
  • Supreme Court struck down Trump-era tariffs
  • Refunds could take 4.4 million man-hours currently
  • Administration imposing new tariffs under different laws
2 min read

US working on new tariff refund system that could be ready in 45 days

US Customs is developing a simplified tariff refund process following a Supreme Court ruling against Trump-era emergency duties, aiming to reduce paperwork.

"This new process will require minimal submission from importers. - Brandon Lord"

Washington, March 7

A US government agency is working on a new system to simplify the tariff refund process that could be ready in 45 days, a report said, as many companies seek refunds of the Trump administration's emergency duties that the Supreme Court struck down last month.

Brandon Lord, executive director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)'s trade policy and programs directorate, unveiled the work on a streamlined process requiring "minimal submission" from importers, in a filing with the U.S. Court of International Trade, according to the Associated Press, reports Yonhap news agency.

The CBP has collected about US$166 billion in tariffs from more than 330,000 importers under the emergency tariff program, the report said.

On Feb. 20, the high court ruled against U.S. President Donald Trump's use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify country-specific "reciprocal" tariffs and other levies. The ruling did not outline any refund process.

In the filing, Lord estimated that currently, refunds would take more than 4.4 million man-hours to complete, underlining the difficulty in carrying out the refund process under the current system.

"This new process will require minimal submission from importers," Lord was quoted by the AP as saying.

Following the high court's ruling, the Trump administration is working to replace the emergency tariffs with new duties under different legal provisions.

On Feb. 24, the Trump administration started imposing a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122, with the rate expected to rise to 15 percent.

It is also leveraging Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act to conduct trade investigations, which U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer said are expected to cover "most major trading partners." Section 301 allows the USTR to investigate "unfair" trade practices on a country-by-country basis, he has said.

Meanwhile, a chartered plane to evacuate South Koreans from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will take off this weekend amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry said it is arranging a 290-seat Etihad Airways chartered flight, set to depart from Abu Dhabi at noon on Sunday (local time).

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
$166 billion collected! That's an enormous amount. While the new system sounds efficient, I hope the process is transparent and fair for all importers, regardless of their country of origin.
A
Arjun K
The court struck down the old tariffs, but they are already imposing new ones under different sections. Seems like the goalposts are just shifting. Our IT and pharma sectors need to watch Section 301 investigations closely.
P
Priya S
4.4 million man-hours saved is a big deal for efficiency. As someone who works in logistics, I appreciate when governments streamline bureaucratic processes. Hope India takes note for our own systems.
D
David E
The article jumps from US tariffs to a South Korean evacuation flight? That's quite a disjointed edit. The core news about the refund system is important, but the last paragraph feels randomly tacked on.
K
Karthik V
"Minimal submission" sounds good on paper. Let's see the actual implementation. Often these processes end up being complex for smaller players. Indian MSMEs exporting to the US should get proper guidance.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50