{"id":541088,"date":"2026-07-24T00:02:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T00:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/541088\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T00:02:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T00:02:21","slug":"us-hits-new-zealand-with-higher-12-5-percent-tariff-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/541088\/","title":{"rendered":"US hits New Zealand with higher 12.5 percent tariff"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tReading Time: 2 minutes
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By Anan Zaki and Jeffrey Halley of RNZ<\/a><\/p>\n

The US is set to impose new tariffs ranging from 10 to 12.5 percent on 60 economies, including New Zealand, as the Trump administration looks to rebuild its tariff regime.<\/p>\n

New Zealand and Australia face a 12.5 percent tariff, while major trading partners including China, the European Union, Japan and South Korea were also targeted.<\/p>\n

It comes after the US Supreme Court ruled the administration\u2019s previous so-called Liberation Day tariffs<\/a> were illegal<\/a>. The new levies replace the temporary Section 122 tariff imposed after that court decision, due to expire on 24 July.<\/p>\n

US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer claimed the new tariffs were designed to combat imports made with forced labour \u2013 a claim previously rejected by New Zealand.<\/p>\n

The new tariffs are set to come into effect from just after 4.01pm (New Zealand time) on Friday.<\/p>\n

The US government\u2019s notice said New Zealand\u2019s tariff rate was based on USTR\u2019s findings from its investigation into New Zealand.<\/p>\n

Trade policy consultant Charles Finny said the decision was not a surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is exactly as we were anticipating,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Finny said there was still uncertainty over how long the tariffs would remain in place, particularly if they were challenged in US courts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think exporters should be planning on these 12 or 12.5 percent tariffs applying for many months,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Greer said: \u201cPresident Trump recognises that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labour from global supply chains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe United States has had a forced labour import ban for nearly a century, and rigourously enforces it; it\u2019s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Trump administration agreed to impose lower 10 percent tariffs on countries it claimed had committed to impose a forced labour import prohibition. They included Argentina, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan and the UK.<\/p>\n

Finny said the United States remained a good market for many exporters, but the higher tariff would make conditions tougher for some.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor some exporters, it will be even tougher now with a 12.5 percent tariff, and they will be looking for new markets,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said New Zealand had options because about 80 percent of exports were covered by free trade agreements.<\/p>\n

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