On September 1, 2019 anyone importing brewing machinery from China into the United States will be required to pay an additional 10 percent tariff, regardless of whether the machinery was ordered prior to the tariffs going into effect.

Brewing machinery (classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule as 8438.40.00) was included in the most recent list of tariffs on $300 million of goods imported from China. This is the fourth round of tariffs resulting from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) 301 investigation to determine whether China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are unreasonable or discriminatory, and burden or restrict U.S. commerce.

(MORE: FAQs: What Breweries Need to Know About the Current State of Tariffs in the U.S.)

The 10 percent tariff may also increase. A majority of goods imported into the U.S. from China have higher tariffs of 25 percent, including stainless steel kegs which are also impacted by a current antidumping investigation. 

Parties that are impacted by the tariffs on brewery machinery will be allowed to submit a request for exclusions from the tariffs once the fourth list of tariffs goes into effect. The USTA’s website has more information about that process.