Key facts
- President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a tariff-rate quota on quartz surface imports.
- The measure follows recommendations from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC).
- The USITC recommended a four-year tariff-rate quota, with initial rates of 25% in-quota and 40% above-quota, decreasing annually.
- The recommended TRQ volume was set at 140 million square feet for the first year.
- The case was initiated by a petition from Cambria Company, Dal-Tile, Guidoni, and Hyundai L&C.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Friday to implement a tariff-rate quota on imports of quartz surface products from several countries. This action follows a global safeguard investigation initiated by a petition from Cambria Company, Dal-Tile, Guidoni, and Hyundai L&C.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) recommended a four-year tariff-rate quota, with an in-quota tariff rate of 25% ad valorem and an above-quota rate of 40% ad valorem in the first year, both decreasing by one percentage point annually. The recommended in-quota volume for the first year was 140 million square feet, with subsequent annual increases. The USITC also suggested excluding imports from certain countries and implementing measures to prevent circumvention.
Industry figures noted that this Section 201 case is not an unfair trade case but rather a request for protection due to an inability to compete with imports. Arguments presented during hearings focused on consumer affordability, with differing estimates on the cost increase per home due to the proposed tariffs. The Save Quartz Jobs Coalition argued that higher prices would significantly reduce home construction, while petitioners estimated a much smaller impact.
The decision now rests with the President, who has broad discretion in Section 201 cases, including the possibility of implementing quotas.