December ’25 at-a-glance … taxes, tariffs & trade

IEEPA ruling pending; tips for planning ahead 

While we wait for the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legality of the IEEPA tariffs, NAFEM’s legal team at Barnes & Thornburg suggest members begin to prepare for potential tariff refunds, even though it’s uncertain what the process might entail. If the court uses the CBP process, importers will need to file a formal protest within 180 days of liquidation to protect the right to a refund. Detailed information is on Barnes &Thornburg’s website

USMCA support widespread 

Led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, more than 500 organizations including NAFEM sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer and the U.S. Congress voicing their support for the U.S. – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA). “USMCA ensures U.S. manufacturers, farmers and service providers can continue to access Canadian and Mexican markets. It guarantees that virtually all U.S. exports enter these markets tariff-free and helps American companies and the workers they employ compete in our top two export markets.” The USMCA is up for the mandatory six-year review in 2026.  

Additional tariff updates 

The latest tariff information is available on the Taxes, Tariffs and Trade page of nafem.org. While NAFEM regularly updates this resource page, we recommend regular communication with your customs broker for the most current tariff information relative to your business and its products.