Following our previous post here, we provide an update on the current developments in this area. On April 2, 2025, the US administration announced reciprocal tariffs on all imports into the United States (see here). As it has been widely reported, pharmaceutical products were exempted from these tariffs whereas medical devices were not. Subsequently, on April 9, 2025, the administration announced a 90-day postponement of the reciprocal tariffs for most countries except for China. For…
In brief Following the US administration’s extensive new import tariffs, many companies are grappling with increased costs and supply chain uncertainty. What happens when a deal becomes financially unsustainable due to government-imposed trade restrictions? Companies should consider the force majeure and change management clauses in their contracts, and the doctrines of impossibility, impracticability and frustration of purpose under applicable statutes and the common law, to assess whether they are entitled to relief. This article examines these…
On 2 April 2025, United States President Donald J. Trump has invoked his authority under the US International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to impose the following tariffs on imports into the United States: Certain goods are not subject to the reciprocal tariffs (e.g., steel, aluminum and autos and auto parts subject to existing Section 232 tariffs [of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962], copper, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, lumber, certain energy and critical…
On 3 April 2025, the UK Government published a consultation on the impact of any future tariffs on UK imports from the US. The consultation followed an announcement by the UK Trade Secretary in Parliament that the UK Government is considering âevery optionâ in response to US President Trumpâs imposition of âLiberation Dayâ import tariffs on the UK of 10%. For further details regarding the announcement of these tariffs and the global impact, please see our blog…
At 4 PM EDT on April 2, 2025, President Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs on all imports into the United States. Importantly, goods from Canada and Mexico were excluded from additional duties. Other announced rates include: United Kingdom (10%), EU (20%), China (34%), Vietnam (46%), Taiwan (32%), South Africa (30%), Japan (24%), India (26%), South Korea (25%), and Brazil (10%). While the White House Fact Sheet and Executive Order have been released, official documents referenced…
Import tariffs have become the priority trade issue since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, 2025, with a wide variety of measures announced and imposed. These tariffs have the potential to disrupt all industries; however, they pose unique challenges for the life sciences industry, in particular the pharmaceutical and medtech industry, whose products have typically not been subject to customs duty on cross-border movements. We have set out below i) a summary of…
In brief With the official declaration of the Canada- U.S. tariff war, Canadian consumer behavior has undergone a significant shift, sparking a renewed sense of patriotism and a robust “buy Canadian” movement. As tariffs are expected to drive up the cost of imported goods, Canadians are increasingly turning to domestically-produced products. To meet this growing demand, many companies are emphasizing the Canadian origin of their products through labeling and product claims. However, businesses must navigate…
In Brief Following weeks of tariff threats from the U.S. and the imposition of retaliatory Canadian tit-for-tat tariffs and non-tariff measures, the U.S. and Canada are currently in the midst of a trade war that is expected to have significant economic repercussions. On 5 March 2025, the Government of Canada announced that it would take action under the Investment Canada Act (“ICA”) to protect Canadian companies from foreign investors looking to capitalize on the current…
Following the previous round of 10% tariffs imposed by the US on all goods originating from China, effective February 4, 2025, the US has imposed additional 10% tariffs on all Chinese goods under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (âIEEPAâ) on March 3, 2025. In response, China announced a new series of retaliatory measures against the US the next day. Below is a summary of these measures: 10-15% retaliatory tariffs on US agricultural products Effective…
President Trump signed an executive order on February 1, 2025 (“Executive Order”), imposing longâanticipated tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“US Tariffs”). Canada retaliated swiftly by implementing retaliatory tariffs; however, both sets of tariffs were paused for 30-days while the US and Canada negotiated whether the tariffs would come into force. Despite Canada undertaking extensive measures to secure its border, the US implemented the US Tariffs at 12:01 AM EST on March…