Tariffs. Customs. Trade Remedies

Author

Jing Xu (Canada)

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On January 16, Canada and China announced (Canada Link) (China Link) a new “strategic partnership”, which promises to alleviate tariffs levied by Canada on Chinese EVs and tariffs levied by China on Canadian agricultural products (Partnership). The Canadian sectors poised to benefit from the Partnership, and efforts to increase trade and investment in Canada are: energy; forestry; autos; agriculture; and tourism. The Economic and Trade Cooperation Roadmap is available here and the backgrounder is available…

On November 26, Prime Minister Carney announced new protectionist measures for the Canadian steel industry that will come into force on December 26, 2026. These measures will directly impact the cost of importing foreign steel and certain derivative steel products into Canada, indirectly increasing the cost of doing business for importers whom cannot source tariffed steel products domestically. The measures were included alongside other federal commitments to boost the Canadian steel and lumber industries in…

Amendments to the CBSA’s Valuation for Duty Regulations (Regulations) first proposed in May 2023 (Amendments) continue to hang in the balance. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) recently released a summary of proposed revisions, open for consultation with the importing community and other stakeholders until January 23, 2026 (Consultation). Background The Amendments seek to significantly alter the legislative framework underpinning key findings made by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) in 2021 and 2022 regarding use of…

While Canada continues to expand its trading relationships through FTAs, the future of its most significant FTA, the USMCA/CUSMA, and its trading relationships with the United States and China remains uncertain. Canadian importers and exporters face continued regulatory changes (e.g. customs valuation amendments, novel sanctions reporting requirements, supply chain reporting) and administrative changes (e.g. CARM, ACE Portal) in a rising protectionist trade environment. The Carney administration has continued to roll out policy and economic initiatives…

On August 29, the Government of Canada issued the Order Amending and Repealing Certain Orders Made Under the Customs Tariff (United States Surtax) (Order), which repeals the application of Canada’s 25% retaliatory surtax (Surtax) to numerous U.S. origin goods, effective September 1. Key takeaways for importers: Background The Order amends Canada’s three existing surtax orders, which have authorized a 25% retaliatory tariff on numerous U.S. origin goods since March and April 2025: United States Surtax Order…

While Canada and the US continue to negotiate a new economic and security agreement, Canada announced that it will eliminate its 25% retaliatory tariffs on certain USMCA qualifying goods as of September 1, 2025 in an effort to deescalate trade tensions and keep bilateral talks moving forward. The announcement follows a meeting between Prime Minister Carney and President Trump on trade and security. Prime Minister Carney also expressed hope that the USMCA review, scheduled for…

On September 10th, Baker McKenzie’s Global Trade Practice will host a webinar in which a panel of our trade and customs experts from around the world will share their insights on the global state of tariffs as well as how to manage customs requirements and mitigate risks across the supply chain, providing practical advice to help you navigate these complexities. Topics to be covered include: The webinar will take place at 10:00 EDT / 15:00 BST…

Canada announced further protections for its domestic steel industry, expanding the application of a 50% surtax on certain steel goods initially implemented on June 27, 2025 (Steel Surtax) and introducing a 25% surtax on all imported steel products (with the exception of the US) that contain steel melted and poured in China. The Steel Surtax was introduced following a public consultation to address the risk of steel trade diversion from third countries to the Canadian…

As mentioned in our US customs team’s blog post, on July 10, US President Trump announced 35% tariffs on imports from Canada. The new tariffs are scheduled to commence on August 1. Current US tariffs on Canada include 25% tariffs on Canadian origin goods excluding US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) qualifying goods, 10% tariffs on energy products and potash, 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum goods and derivative products, and 25% tariffs on automobiles and parts. The…

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued its bi-annual update to its trade verification priorities this week. These priorities provide notice to Canadian importers of the goods and customs programs which will be targeted by CBSA’s compliance crosshairs throughout the remainder of 2025. Several goods remain subject to the CBSA’s 2025 trade verification priorities for their 2nd, 3rd and 4th round. While the verification priorities under tariff classification and origin announced in January remain static, the CBSA has not…