Falcone Global Solutions

08/26/2026

The 30-day implementation period for Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods has concluded, and 50% duties are now being assessed at U.S. ports of entry.

Covering autos, steel, industrial equipment, and plastics, these duties apply regardless of USMCA preference claims. Importers must review ten-digit HTS classifications and verify origin documentation immediately.

Read our complete breakdown of the new border requirements and rate exceptions: https://ow.ly/xYtL50ZFSjH

08/24/2026

Ocean rates update for importers:

Carriers pushed a sticky GRI on August 1, are keeping capacity tight even as they add ships (blank sailings up to 4.5x 2019 levels), the Panama Canal is back to draft restrictions with new September surcharges already dated, and import demand — while softer in July — is tracking close to flat for the full year. Even the carriers themselves are hedging on what the rest of the year looks like.

If your cargo has Panama Canal exposure or routing flexibility, reach out — the Falcone Global team can help you work through what it means for your specific lanes.

08/12/2026

Three lawsuits are now challenging the Section 301 forced-labor tariffs that took effect July 24 — two private suits filed that same day, and a 25-state coalition suit filed August 3, all in the U.S. Court of International Trade.

Liberty Justice Center brought the first, Burlap and Barrel, Inc. v. Greer, as a proposed class action on behalf of importers across the 60 named trading partners. Learning Resources and hand2mind — joined by five additional businesses — filed the second the same day as a non-class action, case no. 1:26-cv-03347. The third came from a coalition of 25 states, co-led by Arizona, California, and Oregon, arguing that public statements from USTR and Treasury officials made before the investigation concluded undercut any claim the rates were genuinely tied to country-by-country findings.

What makes this worth tracking: Section 301 tariffs are issued by USTR, an agency, so they're reviewed under the Administrative Procedure Act rather than the more deferential standard courts have applied to presidential tariff actions like Section 122 or Section 338. That's a meaningfully different legal posture than the tariffs that made headlines earlier this summer.

For now, nothing changes for importers' duties — they remain in effect and payable while all three cases proceed. If Section 301 forced-labor tariffs make up a meaningful share of your landed cost, that's worth tracking alongside your classification and origin work — the same way your licensed customs broker already tracks it for you.

Full breakdown, including the legal questions courts still need to resolve: https://ow.ly/S58950ZyYwa

07/24/2026

Section 122 expired at 12:01am ET on July 24. Section 301 duties took effect the same day, sorting 60 economies into two forced-labor duty tiers: 10% for 6 economies and 12.5% for the other 54.

For importers, this is not a simple replacement. The new Section 301 duties generally layer on top of existing tariffs, with important exceptions for Section 232-covered products, Annex I and II exemptions, and country-specific net-of-MFN calculations. A four-day in-transit exemption also applies to qualifying goods loaded before July 24 and entered before July 28.

Separately, Section 338 has returned with 50% tariffs on selected Canadian dairy, alcohol, and motor vehicles, effective 30 days after the July 20 proclamations. USMCA eligibility does not automatically exempt affected goods.

The practical step: confirm HTS classifications, country of origin, existing duty exposure, and whether in-transit inventory qualifies for the exemption.

Read the full breakdown:
https://falconeglobal.com/insights/section-122-expires-section-301-tariff-news/

06/03/2026

The DOJ has filed to appeal the CIT's order requiring CBP to refund IEEPA tariffs.

The court ruled the tariffs were unlawfully collected and ordered CBP to reliquidate and refund. On May 29, the DOJ filed to appeal — citing Trump v. CASA, Inc. and arguing the court's "universal injunction" should apply only to the importers who actually filed suit, not all importers.

The government has confirmed that entries eligible for refunds in Phase 1 (before 90 days post-liquidation) will continue to receive refunds during the appeal.

CIT Judge Eaton's response: "There is $166 billion involved." He ordered the CBP Commissioner to appear personally in court on June 9 to explain why refunds aren't moving faster.

What most importers miss: the appeal doesn't stop the interest clock. Under 19 CFR § 24.36, interest continues to accrue on unpaid refunds from the date of original payment — and it compounds daily, so outstanding refund amounts keep growing while this plays out.

If you paid IEEPA duties in 2025 and haven't filed for refund through CAPE, now is the time to act. Premio International will continue to file protests to avoid final liquidation.

Full breakdown on the Falcone Global Insights page: https://ow.ly/yu9450Z6KK7

05/08/2026

CBP released tools for tracking your IEEPA tariff refund through the CAPE system. ACH payments begin May 12.

If you filed and you're not sure where the refund stands, the ACE reports are now available. Before payments start, confirm your ACH enrollment in ACE is current. An incomplete enrollment gets the refund rejected after it's processed.

Our team is working through this with clients daily.
Questions? Contact us through our website or call our customs desk.
https://ow.ly/akmN50YWEsp

05/01/2026

CBP filed an update with the Court of International Trade on the CAPE refund portal — eight days after launch.

11 million entries accepted. 1.74 million already liquidated and in the refund process. 18 minutes of total downtime.

The system is working at scale. But there are still open questions about subsequent phases and how more complex entry types will be handled.

If you're an importer who paid duties under IEEPA and haven't enrolled in the CAPE portal yet, the data suggests it's time to do so. The pipeline is moving.

Our customs team at Premio and Falcone Global has been working clients through CAPE since the portal opened on April 20. If you need help understanding which entries qualify or how to structure your claims, we're here.

Full breakdown on our blog: https://ow.ly/u6Iw50YTEkJ

CBP filed an update with the Court of International Trade on April 28 — eight days after the CAPE portal went live — and the numbers tell the story.

04/06/2026

Last week, President Trump signed a proclamation which adjusts the steel, aluminum, and copper Section 232 tariffs, as well as an executive order for pharmaceutical import tariffs. Read more on our website: https://ow.ly/Yxwb50YEsBc