US imposes safeguard tariffs on quartz surface products

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has announced the implementation of global safeguard measures on quartz surface products. These measures involve a four-year tariff-rate quota system affecting specific HS codes: 6810.99.0020, 6810.99.0040, and 7020.00.6000.

For imports within the quota, the first-year tariff is set at 25%, decreasing annually to 23% in the second year, 21% in the third, and 19% in the fourth. For imports exceeding the quota, the first-year tariff is 50%, followed by 49%, 48%, and 47% in subsequent years. The measures are scheduled to take effect on August 15, 2026.

Vietnam is significantly impacted by these changes. During the first nine months of 2025, the US imported approximately 29.766 million square feet of quartz surface products from Vietnam, valued at $258.052 million. This represents 17.9% of the total volume and 21.2% of the total value of US quartz surface product imports. Consequently, Vietnam has not been granted exemptions as a developing country. The Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade has advised domestic exporters to monitor these developments and adjust production and export plans accordingly.