As expected, the President of the United States has officially signed the Executive Order modifying existing orders pertaining to tariffs on aluminum and aluminum derivative products (Note: the Order title references steel but the content pertains to aluminum). Most notably, the Order increases the amount of duty charged on aluminum and aluminum derivative products pursuant to prior orders from 10% to 25% effective March 12, 2025 at 12:01 am.
Similar to the steel order, any prior exemptions, exclusions, country-specific quota benefits, etc. will be terminated as of the above effective date. Accordingly, all aluminum and aluminum derivative products which are currently subject to 10% Section 232 duties pursuant to prior presidential orders, and as subsequently revised, will be subject to an increased duty of 25% regardless of country of origin. This includes Canada and Mexico. However, for aluminum articles that are a product of Russia, and aluminum derivative products where any amount of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the article is smelted in Russia, or the derivative aluminum article is cast in Russia, the duty rate will be 200%.
Further, and also similar to the steel order, the Order states there will be tariffs on ADDITIONAL aluminum derivative articles, but the list of those products has not yet been released. The Order references an Annex where these products will be found but the same has not been issued. Ultimately, it appears that the duty will only be charged on the “aluminum content” and the Secretary of Commerce will advise the president when they are equipped to handle this. A Federal Register Notice will be issued at that time. Again, the list of those additional products is not yet available, nor do we have any additional information as to what that list will look like.
Additionally, the Order explicitly exempts from duty aluminum derivative articles (to be listed in the not yet published “Annex”) processed in another country from aluminum articles that were smelted and cast in the United States. Note the Executive Order pertaining to steel and steel derivatives, which was previously circulated, allows for a similar exemption for steel derivative articles made in another country from steel that was melted and poured in the United States.
Links to applicable presidential orders which list the products subject to the latest Order are embedded above for your reference.