Forced-labor Section 301 — Dominican Republic — 12.5% additional duty

A Section 301 measure is a U.S. trade action authorized under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. A measure described as involving forced labor and the Dominican Republic may impose an additional duty on covered goods connected to the specified country or conduct. The title is a starting point; the official measure details control the legal scope.

The measure typically affects importers whose goods meet both the listed product classification and the relevant country-of-origin or other scope conditions. The extra charge is often called an additional duty or trade-remedy duty and is applied in addition to ordinary customs duty and any other applicable measures. Importers should distinguish country of origin from shipping location, review the HTSUS provision and official instructions, and confirm whether exclusions, exceptions, or duty-stacking rules apply.

What to check

• Verify the product’s complete HTSUS classification, including any required statistical suffix, with a customs broker or classification specialist.
• Confirm the product’s legal country of origin under U.S. marking and origin rules; do not rely only on the export country or the last shipping location.
• Read the official Section 301 scope, implementation instructions, and any exclusions to determine whether the merchandise is actually covered.
• Check the entry-date rules and whether the additional duty must be reported separately from normal customs duty and other trade remedies.
• Keep bills of materials, production records, supplier statements, and origin documentation that support the classification and origin decision.