Toronto, May 28, 2019
U.S. President Donald Trump has terminated Turkey's preferential (duty-free) trade status under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) as a "developing nation", effective May 17, 2019.
Prior to removing a country from the GSP the President takes into account, among other factors, the level of economic development of such country, including its per capita gross national product, the living standards of its inhabitants, and any other economic factors that the President deems appropriate.
Trump had also filed Notice of Intent for the removal of India from the GSP, as they have also been deemed no longer a developing nation, but has delayed implementation until India's new government has been sworn-in.
Similarly, Canada removed both Turkey and India from the Generalized Preferential Tariff (GPT), the Canadian version of GSP, back on January 1, 2015.
Once a country has been removed from the GSP they will be subject to "General" rates of duty assessed by commodity into the U.S..
For more information, please call Brian Rowe, Director – Customs Compliance & Regulatory Affairs at (905) 882-4880, ext. 213.