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India tariffs, USMCA review, and court ruling
Watch for more U.S. trade deals to be detailed in the coming weeks
Though several country-specific trade agreements have been announced, some are still under negotiation, some aren’t fully fleshed out, and some still aren’t in writing. Expect new details to be released in the coming weeks. These include Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and the European Union most notably.
No deal has been announced with India yet. In the meantime, a new 25% tariff went into effect on August 27, 2025, for goods imported from India. It stacks on top of a 25% reciprocal tariff, for a cumulative 50%.
The recent court ruling against the constitutionality of some U.S. tariffs may slow down negotiations, as countries weigh the uncertain policy environment.
U.S. appeals court rules on legality of tariffs
On August 29, 2025, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. administration didn’t have the authority to impose tariffs by declaring a national emergency, upholding a lower court’s decision. The reciprocal tariffs in place on imports from most countries were established under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), as were tariffs imposed on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada with the goal of reducing the flow of fentanyl.
For now, the ruling does not affect importers because enforcement is delayed until October 14, 2025, and an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is expected. If the Supreme Court rules similarly to the Court of Appeals, it’s uncertain what the reimbursement process might be.
In the meantime, these reciprocal tariff rates remain in place:
- For imports from countries with specific rates established: 15-41%
- The baseline tariff for goods from other countries: 10%
- Products from China: 10% rate now extended until November 10, 2025
These fentanyl-related tariffs remain in place:
- Products from China: 20%
- Products from Canada: Increased to 35% as of August 1, 2025, except for goods that are USMCA certified
- Products from Mexico: As of July 31, it was announced that the 25% rate would stay in place for at least 90 days. USMCA-certified goods remain duty free.
Our U.S. Tariff Impact Analysis Tool helps customers see what type of tariffs have been assessed on their products and analyze the impact to their bottom line. Our self-serve ACE Import Intelligence tool gives companies visibility to their customs data regardless of whether the freight is moved by C.H. Robinson. Our Sourcing Analysis Tool helps customers model scenarios and understand the tariff and supply-chain impacts of sourcing their goods from alternative locations.
For updates on new tariffs announced by the U.S. administration this year, follow the U.S. Tariff Timeline.
Low-value shipments now subject to tariffs
The de minimis tariff exemption for low-value imports to the United States ended August 29, 2025—a date moved up from 2027 as a result of an executive order. Shipments under $800, representing up to 4 million packages daily, have consequently lost their duty-free status. This is a significant change for global ecommerce, affecting retailers of all sizes but especially small to medium businesses that now also need to manage customs paperwork.
For international postal shipments, duties must be collected from the shipper or recipient by the postal carrier and remitted to U.S. customs, either based on a flat rate per package or as a percentage according to the specific tariff rate levied on goods from each specific country.
The flat rate consists of three tiers:
- $80 if the tariff rate is 16% or less
- $160 between 16% and 25%
- $200 above 25%
Flat rates will end after a six-month transition period, at which point all packages will be subject to the percentage-based tariff.
Section 301 China tariff exclusions extended
Certain products from China are excluded from tariffs put in place in 2018 related to China’s technology transfer and intellectual property practices. On August 28, the U.S. administration announced that 178 exclusions from the Section 301 tariffs will be extended. These exclusions are now expected to remain in effect through November 29, 2025.
Potential tariffs coming on furniture
Furniture is the latest sector to be reviewed for added U.S. tariffs. After an initial announcement in late August that the review would be completed in 50 days, the U.S. administration clarified that this is part of an investigation already under way on imported lumber and products that use imported lumber. As with the copper tariffs in July, these investigations can swiftly lead to new Section 232 duties.
The impact of new furniture tariffs would depend on the product categories included and whether the tariff would stack on top of other applicable tariffs. Tariffs are already in place for imports from top furniture-exporting countries. For example, products from Vietnam face a 20% tariff and from China 30%. Adding to the complexity, furniture is also subject to a 50% tariff on any steel or aluminum components.
Review of USMCA trade agreement is under way
By design, the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) requires all three governments to review its provisions every six years. This comes next in 2026, which means the first round is already beginning. Each country is submitting positions, identifying areas for revision, and signaling whether they want to extend the pact for another 16 years or reopen negotiations.
Read our blog post on what you should know about the USMCA review, what could change, and the three steps you should take now to get ready.
2025 UFLPA strategy updated
On August 19, 2025, the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) published its annual update to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Strategy. The 2025 updates to the UFLPA Strategy highlight the 78 new entities added to the UFLPA Entity List in the past year, bringing the total to 144 Chinese entities whose goods are presumptively prohibited from entering the United States pursuant to the UFLPA.
The UFLPA Strategy also designated new high-priority sectors for enforcement under the UFLPA—caustic soda, copper, lithium, red dates, and steel. Shippers should review the UFLPA Entity List to practice due diligence and ensure their supply chain is not involved with any of the entities listed.
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