The United States released the "Tariff Implementation Guidelines," clarifying that the new tariffs do not apply to goods shipped before 12:00 AM New York time on Thursday
The latest tariff guidelines from the United States clarify that the new "reciprocal tariffs" take effect at midnight this Thursday, New York time, and goods that have already been shipped are not affected. The guidelines also stipulate that products under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement and humanitarian aid supplies are exempt. To combat evasion, any goods intended to evade tariffs through transshipment will be subject to punitive tariffs of up to 40%
As the implementation date of the new round of tariffs approaches, global traders are focusing on the specific execution details.
According to media reports on August 5, the latest guidelines released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicate that the "reciprocal tariffs" announced by U.S. President Trump last week will not apply to goods that were loaded onto ships and en route to the United States before 12:01 AM New York time this Thursday (August 7). The issuance of this notice aims to outline a clear implementation framework for this policy, which is expected to significantly increase tariffs on dozens of trading partners.
Last week, according to CCTV News, the White House announced an adjusted tariff rate schedule for the "reciprocal tariffs," which will take effect on August 7. This provides another negotiation window for various countries. In the new tariff rates, countries with a trade deficit with the U.S. will face a rate of 10%; countries that have reached agreements with the U.S. or have a small trade surplus will face a rate of about 15%; countries that have not reached agreements with the U.S. and have a large trade surplus will face higher rates, with the U.S. raising the tariff rate on Canada from 25% to 35%, while Switzerland and South Africa will face punitive tariffs of up to 39% and 30%, respectively, and India will be subject to a 25% tariff.
Exemptions and Penalties
The guideline document details the scope of exemptions and penalties for the new tariffs.
Reports indicate that the guidelines specify that products negotiated under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) during Trump's first term will be exempt. Additionally, relief supplies used for aid purposes, such as food, clothing, and medicine, are also included in the exemption scope.
However, to prevent certain goods from being transshipped through third countries to evade tariffs aimed at specific nations, the guidelines also include punitive measures threatened by Trump: once the U.S. federal government determines that goods have been transshipped, tariffs of up to 40% will be imposed.
Average Tariff Rates Rise, More Tariffs May Be in the Works
This tariff plan, seen as a core economic agenda of President Trump, aims to reduce the trade deficit and pressure companies to shift manufacturing jobs and investments back to the United States. It is estimated that if the announced tax rates are fully implemented, the average tariff rate in the United States will rise from the previous 13.3% to 15.2%. This figure represents a significant increase compared to the 2.3% before Trump took office in 2024.
Trump initially announced the so-called "reciprocal tariff" plan in April this year but later postponed its implementation to allow time for related negotiations. Despite the approaching deadline, some countries, including Switzerland and India, are currently working to negotiate more favorable trade terms before Thursday's deadline.
However, this guidance does not eliminate all uncertainties. Reports indicate that the Trump administration is expected to release an independent tariff list targeting pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, critical minerals, and other key industrial products in the coming weeks, meaning that businesses and investors will still face ongoing policy risks. Additionally, President Trump threatened again on Monday (August 4) to impose "significantly" higher tariffs on Indian goods exported to the U.S. due to New Delhi's procurement of Russian oil.
CCTV News reported that President Trump stated on his social media platform "Truth Social" that India not only purchases a large amount of Russian oil but also sells most of it on the open market for profit. Therefore, he plans to significantly increase the tariffs that India pays to the United States.
The long-term economic impact of the tariff policy on the U.S. remains unclear, and critics generally believe that these tariffs will raise costs for American consumers and businesses and may exacerbate inflation
