DutyPulse Blog
Notes on tariffs, trade compliance, and what actually changes for importers, freight forwarders, and customs brokers.
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August 27, 2026
How Section 232 Tariffs Are Actually Calculated Now (It Changed in April)
Since April 6, 2026, Section 232 steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs apply to a product's full customs value, not just its metal content — a fundamental change from the system that came before it. Here's how the current tiers actually work.
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August 27, 2026
Canada's Retaliation List Is Out: 700+ US Products, Rates Up to 50%, Effective September 8
Canada published its full Section 338 retaliation list on August 25 — C$27.6 billion (~US$20B) in counter-tariffs on 700+ American products, with rates matching US rates exactly. Here's what's confirmed and what to check before September 8.
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August 24, 2026
Section 301 Overcapacity: China Gets Its Own Timeline, the Rest of the 16 Still Waits
The broader 16-economy investigation still hasn't concluded — but a China-specific 7.5% tariff is reportedly being prepared ahead of the September 24 Xi-Trump summit, which would push combined Section 301 exposure on some Chinese goods toward 70%.
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August 22, 2026
Section 338 Resolved: Talks Collapsed, Tariffs Are Live, Canada Retaliates September 8
The Section 338 pause expired without a deal. 50% tariffs on Canadian goods took effect August 22. Canada's retaliation begins September 8 — here's what's actually confirmed and what to check now.
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August 19, 2026
Section 338 Update: Trump Pauses Canada Tariffs for 3 Days, New Deadline Friday
The 50% Section 338 tariffs on Canada were scheduled to take effect August 19 — instead, they've been paused until Friday following last-minute talks. Here's what's confirmed, what's still unresolved, and why this validates treating deadlines as scheduled, not guaranteed.
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August 13, 2026
What Actually Triggers a CBP Audit in 2026 — And Why Stacking Mistakes Are a Growing Target
CBP's AI-powered targeting is finding compliance gaps faster than ever. A real $100M enforcement case shows exactly how a tariff-stacking mistake becomes an audit trigger — here's what's actually driving the current surge.
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August 8, 2026
Section 338: The New Canada Tariff That USMCA Doesn't Protect You From
A 50% tariff on Canadian goods takes effect August 19, 2026 — the first modern use of Section 338. USMCA-qualifying goods aren't exempt, and the affected product list goes well beyond the autos, dairy, and alcohol making headlines.
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August 4, 2026
What Do Customs Brokers Actually Charge? A Real Cost Breakdown
Customs broker fees typically run $150–$400+ per entry, but the quote you get rarely shows the full picture. Here's what's actually broker markup, what's a pass-through government fee, and what questions to ask before you sign.
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August 4, 2026
Do Tariffs Stack? The Section 232 and 301 Rules Explained
Section 232 tariffs generally don't stack with the new Section 301 forced-labor action — but China's older Section 301 lists are a separate track entirely. Here's the actual hierarchy, current as of August 2026.
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July 30, 2026
The Section 301 Overcapacity Investigation Still Hasn't Concluded — As of Today
USTR's structural excess capacity investigation covers 16 economies including China, the EU, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Its own accelerated target has quietly passed with no determination published. Here's what's actually confirmed.
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July 25, 2026
The Section 122 Surcharge Just Expired — Here's What Replaced It
Section 122's 10% global surcharge expired by statute July 24, 2026. It wasn't replaced with a lighter touch — 60 new Section 301 forced-labor tariffs took effect the same hour. Here's what changed and what to check this week.
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July 14, 2026
Section 232 vs. Section 301 vs. Section 122: Which Tariff Applies to Your Shipment?
A plain-English comparison of the three legal authorities behind nearly every 2026 US tariff headline — what triggers each one, how long it lasts, and how to tell which applies to you.
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July 5, 2026
How to read a Federal Register tariff notice in under 2 minutes
A quick guide to skimming Federal Register filings for the parts that actually affect your imports.
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