Forced-labor Section 301 — Guyana — 12.5% additional duty

A Section 301 measure is a U.S. trade action addressing what the U.S. government determines to be an unfair or harmful foreign trade practice. A measure described as related to forced labor may impose an additional duty on covered imports, beyond the ordinary customs duty. The title is a useful starting point, but the official measure text controls its scope and application.

This type of measure typically affects products connected to the specified country of origin and identified by particular tariff classifications (HTSUS subheadings), product descriptions, or other scope rules. It matters because an importer may owe an additional duty, must declare the measure correctly at entry, and may need stronger supply-chain records. Country of origin, tariff classification, entry timing, exclusions, and possible duty-stacking rules are key professional issues; a customs broker or trade specialist may be needed for uncertain cases.

What to check

• Confirm the product’s country of origin under U.S. customs rules; the supplier’s shipping location is not necessarily the origin.
• Classify the product under the correct HTSUS subheading, then compare it with the measure’s official product and tariff scope.
• Check the official implementation notice for the applicable additional-duty reporting instructions, entry dates, exclusions, and any exceptions.
• Determine whether the additional duty applies on top of other duties or trade remedies, and verify the correct entry-data reporting requirements.
• Keep bills of materials, production records, supplier declarations, and origin documents that support your classification and origin conclusion.