19.09.2026 Regulation #USA #Import #Bans #Duties
US replaces 50% Canada tariff with import ban from September 29
Starting 12:01 a.m. eastern time on September 29, 2026, the United States is moving from elevated duties to an outright ban on imports of certain Canadian alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motor vehicles. Presidential Proclamations 11061, 11062 and 11063 were signed on September 8, 2026 and published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2026 (alcohol, dairy, motor vehicles). The legal basis is Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1338), under which these goods had previously been subject to an additional 50% duty.
From duty to ban: the reasoning behind three proclamations
Each proclamation justifies the shift to a ban by pointing to Canada's failure to honor prior commitments:
- for alcohol — continued discriminatory restrictions on U.S. commerce, with Saskatchewan announcing its own additional 50% levy on U.S. alcoholic beverages effective September 8, 2026, explicitly in response to the U.S. duties (Proclamation 11061);
- for dairy — continued discriminatory allocation of tariff-rate quotas for U.S. cheese (Proclamation 11062);
- for motor vehicles — a discriminatory tariff scheme affecting U.S. vehicles (Proclamation 11063).
The specific product lists appear in annexes to the proclamations, published only as image-based tables without machine-readable text.
What changed in the 50% duty list from September 15
A separate proclamation, 11064, also signed September 8, 2026, revised the scope of the underlying 50% Section 338 duty effective 12:01 a.m. on September 15, 2026 — ahead of the later shift to a ban. Per CBP guidance CSMS #69851916 dated September 11, 2026, 122 new HTSUS classifications were added under Chapter 99 headings 9903.03.12 and 9903.03.14, while a number of items were removed from coverage — including codes 2208, 2501 and 7801 (CSMS #69851916). The relevant Chapter 99 headings run from 9903.03.12 through 9903.03.16, with 9903.03.15 and 9903.03.16 carrying a 0% additional ad valorem rate.
Who is affected and what filers need to do
The measure hits importers of Canadian wine, spirits and beer, cheese and other dairy products, and motor vehicles. CBP requires filing under the updated Chapter 99 codes and directs questions to TradeRemedy@cbp.dhs.gov. The additional duty does not apply to goods properly entered under HTSUS Chapter 98 — except subheadings 9802.00.40, 9802.00.50, 9802.00.60 and heading 9802.00.80. Goods may be admitted into foreign-trade zones only under privileged foreign status (19 CFR 146.41) — domestic status is unavailable for them — so the applicable HTSUS duty still applies once the goods are entered for consumption; duty drawback remains available (CSMS #69851916). In practice, importers in these three categories should already be cross-checking tariff codes against the revised list and timing shipments to clear customs before the ban takes effect.
What happens to goods already imported but not yet entered
Goods that were imported into the United States but not yet entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption before September 29, 2026 are not subject to the ban — they remain under the 50% duty established by the earlier proclamations: 11046 for alcohol, 11047 for dairy, and 11048 for motor vehicles (Proclamation 11061, Proclamation 11062, Proclamation 11063). This leaves importers a narrow window: the old duty list applied through September 14, the revised list applied at the same 50% rate from September 15 through 28, and from September 29 the affected goods move from a duty regime to an outright import ban.
Primary sources
- Proclamation 11061 — запрет ввоза алкогольных напитков из Канады
- Proclamation 11062 — запрет ввоза молочной продукции из Канады
- Proclamation 11063 — запрет ввоза автотранспортных средств из Канады
- Proclamation 11064 — изменение охвата 50% пошлины с 15 сентября
- CBP CSMS #69851916 — инструкция для декларантов
Mentioned codes
This material is for information only and does not constitute legal advice or customs consulting. Verify changes against the primary sources before acting.