U.S. Commerce Department Proposes Additional Tariffs on More Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Products
On August 6, the U.S. Commerce Department published a Federal Register notice proposing Section 232 tariffs on 14 derivative products of steel, aluminum, and copper, with most products subject to a 25% tariff, except for items like agricultural equipment. This action stems from a series of executive orders by the Trump administration, with public comments due by August 27.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has proposed Section 232 tariffs on 14 additional steel, aluminum, and copper derivative products, ranging from brass musical instruments and floor safes to tank trailers and semi-trailers.
According to a document released on Thursday, August 6,Federal Register noticethe agency proposes a 25% tariff on most goods, with exceptions for agricultural and industrial equipment, as well as steel containers filled with liquefied propane, oxygen, and propylene.
Self-loading and self-unloading trailers used for agricultural purposes would face a 15% tariff, while rates for self-propelled cranes, mobile lifting frames, and straddle carriers would vary based on country of origin and manufacturing method. Steel containers (excluding the chemicals inside) would face a 50% tariff.
The Commerce Department is seeking public comments on the proposal through its federal rulemaking portal, with a submission deadline of August 27.
More steel, aluminum, and copper products could face tariffs
The 14 aluminum, copper, and steel derivative products proposed by the Commerce Department for inclusion under Section 232 tariffs.
This move by the Commerce Department stems from a series of actions by the Trump administration targeting steel, aluminum, copper, and their derivative products.
In April, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a 50% tariff on goods made almost entirely of aluminum, steel, or copper, including steel coils and aluminum sheets. Derivative products "substantially made" of these metals, such as steel cookware, silverware, diesel engine trains, and semi-tractors, face a 25% tariff.
In June, Trump signed another proclamation lowering rates for certain agricultural and industrial goods. For example, combine harvesters and harvesters face a 15% tariff, down from the 25% set in April. Lower rates also apply to certain HVAC systems and components.
Recently, the U.S. expanded the list of goods subject to Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs. As part of the expansion, a Customs and Border Protection notice listed hundreds of products with Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes facing a 50% tariff upon entry into the U.S.