The United States Commerce Department is making changes to the way it administers the Section 232 tariff exclusion process.
Commerce is streamlining general approved exclusions (GAEs), changing volume limits from past usage for exclusion requesters and leveling the playing field between domestic producers and importers in terms of the timeframe under which disputed material needs to be produced.
The latter two provisions became effective on Monday December 14, but changes to the GAEs will only take effect on December 29, according to a Federal Register notice.
The changes to the GAEs will allow importers to enter products free from Section 232 duties without applying for an exclusion.