50 Percent Tariff Imposed on Copper Content of Certain Imported Goods

Following an investigation by the Secretary of Commerce, the President has proclaimed that imports of copper, including semi-finished copper products and derivatives, threaten to impair U.S. national security. Per the Proclamation text, the Commerce Department found global excess capacity in copper production and noted that a single country controls over 50% of global copper smelting capacity and four of the five largest refining facilities. 

Citing a decline in domestic production and a dependence on foreign sources, the proclamation imposes a 50% tariff on the copper content of these imported goods. This measure is intended to bolster the domestic copper industry, secure the supply chain for critical infrastructure and defense systems, and reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign imports.

Specifically, the Proclamation announces the following:

• A 50% tariff on “all imports of semi-finished copper products and intensive copper derivative products,” effective 12:01am ET on August 1. We’ll need to see the Annex in the Federal Register notice to know what the derivatives are.
• A phased (15% on January 1, 2027, and 30% on January 1, 2028) universal tariff on refined copper, contingent on the recommendation of a Commerce Department report on the state of the domestic copper industry that’s due by June 30, 2026.
• A 25% domestic sales requirement for copper input materials in 2027 (assume at this point it goes into effect January 1, 2027, although a specific date was not given), as well as a 25% domestic sales requirement for high-quality copper scrap and export controls for high-quality copper scrap, with no date given for the latter two.
• Within 90 days of the proclamation (by October 28), the Commerce Department will establish an inclusions process for copper derivatives. The Commerce Secretary also has the discretion to add derivative articles.
• Non-copper content of tariffed copper articles will be subject to IEEPA tariffs.
• The Section 232 copper tariffs will not stack on Section 232 auto tariffs. Only the auto tariff will be imposed.
• No drawback on tariffed copper articles.

The Proclamation also invokes the Defense Production Act for copper input materials and high-quality copper scrap. The Proclamation can be found here and a fact sheet here.

Please contact Samantha Rocci, Director of Federal Affairs (srocci@rvia.org) with questions.