US Reciprocal Tariffs Announced in April 2025
The April 2 executive order announced a 10 percent additional duty on many imports and higher country-specific rates listed in an annex, subject to separate effective dates and exclusions.
Timeline
- April 2, 2025: The White House issued Executive Order 14257 and its country-rate annex.
- April 5, 2025: The order scheduled the additional 10 percent baseline duty to take effect for covered imports.
- April 9, 2025: The order scheduled higher country-specific rates in Annex I to begin, subject to stated exceptions and later modifications.
On April 2, 2025, the White House issued Executive Order 14257 announcing what it called a reciprocal tariff policy. The order set an additional 10 percent ad valorem duty for many imports, then listed higher rates for selected trading partners in Annex I. Ad valorem means the duty is calculated as a percentage of the customs value of the imported good. [1][2]
The baseline and country schedules had different start dates in the original text. The 10 percent duty was scheduled for covered goods entered for consumption from 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 5. Country-specific rates were scheduled from the same time on April 9, with transition language for goods already loaded and in transit before the relevant cutoff. [1]
Annex I showed why the announcement was not one uniform rate. It listed 20 percent for the European Union, 24 percent for Japan, 25 percent for South Korea, 26 percent for India, 34 percent for China and 46 percent for Vietnam, among other entries. These were the adjusted rates printed in the April 2 annex, not a statement of today's tariff schedule. [2]
The order also contained major exclusions. It carved out goods already covered by certain legal provisions, steel and aluminum products under separate Section 232 duties, automobiles and parts subject to a separate proclamation, and listed categories such as some pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, critical minerals and energy products. Canada and Mexico were addressed through separate emergency tariff actions and USMCA rules. [1]
For covered goods, the new duty generally came on top of existing duties, fees and charges. One provision limited application to non-U.S. content when at least 20 percent of an article's value originated in the United States, subject to customs verification. Product classification, origin, value and other trade programs could therefore change the amount actually owed. [1]
The order explicitly allowed modification. It said rates could rise if a trading partner retaliated, fall if a partner took steps to address the administration's concerns, or change if the policy did not resolve the declared emergency. Subsequent presidential actions did alter implementation, so the April document is best read as the original announcement rather than a permanent rate card. [1]
The April 2025 policy can be summarized as a 10 percent additional baseline for many imports plus higher annex rates for selected partners, with separate dates and exclusions. Businesses determining a current duty should use the latest Harmonized Tariff Schedule and Customs and Border Protection guidance. The original order explains the launch, but later law and orders control later entries. [1][2]
Sources
- White House — Executive Order 14257 on reciprocal tariffs
- White House — Annex I country-specific tariff rates