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As justification, the proclamation states that “the Secretary found and advised me of his opinion that wood products are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.” It further notes that although the U.S. has sufficient raw materials and industrial capacity to meet demand, domestic wood production remains underdeveloped.
The proclamation also announced a new 25% global tariff on upholstered furniture, scheduled to rise to 30% on January 1. Kitchen cabinets and vanities will face a 25% tariff that will double to 50% on January 1.
The White House notes the United Kingdom, European Union, and Japan would receive “more favorable treatment” due to recently negotiated trade agreements, with total tariffs on wood imports capped at 10% for the UK and 15% for the EU and Japan.
NLBMDA is continuing to review the proclamation and is in the process of gathering more details from the Administration. Earlier this year, NLBMDA submitted comments to the Commerce Department cautioning against higher tariffs on softwood lumber, noting that imports will always play a role in the marketplace noting that several applications where domestically produced lumber cannot serve as a full substitute.
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