The U.S. government has begun procedures to expand the targets of steel and aluminum tariffs and tariffs on auto parts.
According to the Federal Register on the 16th (local time), the Department of Commerce has been collecting comments since the 15th on items to be added to the tariff list among derivative products made using steel and aluminum. This is scheduled to run through the 29th.
The Department of Commerce must decide within 60 days whether to include specific items in the tariff list once a request is received. This is based on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which gives the president authority to restrict imports for national security reasons. Steel and aluminum, as well as derivative products made from these materials and supplies, are subject to a 50% tariff based on this.
In addition, the Department of Commerce set up a process for U.S. manufacturers and associations to ask the government to designate new items as subject to tariffs, and decided to gather comments every May, September and January. Earlier, based on comments received in 5th, the department decided in June to impose a 50% tariff on steel used in home appliances such as ▲ refrigerators ▲ dryers ▲ washing machines ▲ dishwashers.
On this day, the Department of Commerce was also said to have posted in the Federal Register the procedure for requesting that auto parts be added to the list subject to a 25% tariff. Auto parts have been subject to a 25% tariff since May 3, and this procedure is to determine whether, beyond the items designated at that time, there are additional items that should be protected by tariffs for national security.
The comment period will be for two weeks starting Oct. 1, and, as with steel, the Department of Commerce must decide within 60 days of receipt whether to impose tariffs. Manufacturers that produce automobiles or auto parts in the United States, or associations representing manufacturers, may submit comments, and the department plans to accept comments every January, April, July and October.
The Department of Commerce said, "In the auto industry, various technologies, including autonomous driving capabilities, are advancing rapidly," and noted, "It is important to have an opportunity to identify new automotive products important to defense and consider imposing tariffs."