U.S. Customs has started collecting the 10% tariff imposed by President Donald Trump on imports from many countries, including Kosovo.
Meanwhile, higher tariffs on goods from 57 of the U.S.’s largest trade partners will begin to be implemented next week.
The decision to implement the initial 10% base tariff came into effect at 12:01 AM (06:00 AM Kosovo local time) at U.S. seaports, airports, and customs warehouses.
Kosovo is among the countries that were subjected to the 10% base tariff for imports from the U.S. as of April 2.
Representatives of business chambers have warned that this tariff will have a significant impact on Kosovo’s exporters, calling on the Kosovo Government to remove the 10% tariff on goods from the U.S. and to support the local businesses affected by Trump’s decision.
“This is one of the largest trade actions in our lives,” said Kelly Ann Shaw, a trade attorney at Hogan Lovells and former trade advisor at the White House during Trump’s first term.
Shaw said she expects the tariffs to evolve over time as countries will try to negotiate lower rates.
“But, this is big. It’s a very significant and disruptive change in the way we trade with every country in the world,” she added, as reported by REL.
Trump’s announcement of tariffs on imports from all countries on April 2 shook global stock markets.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Trump’s higher reciprocal tariffs ranging from 11% to 50% will come into effect. Imports from the European Union will face a 20% tariff, while Chinese goods will be hit with a 34% tariff, bringing the new total tariff on China to 54%.
Canada and Mexico are exempt from the latest tariffs, as they are still subject to a 25% tariff imposed due to the fentanyl crisis in the U.S.
Trump has exempted certain goods from the new tariffs that are subject to specific 25% tariffs for national security reasons. This includes steel and aluminum, cars, trucks, and parts for vehicles.
The U.S. administration also published a list of over 1,000 product categories exempt from the new tariffs, including crude oil, petroleum products, other energy imports, pharmaceuticals, uranium, titanium, timber, semiconductors, and copper.
