US Administration Launches Portal For Tariff Refunds

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Bernama-dpa) -- The US government on Monday launched an online portal that allows importers to reclaim tariffs that have been ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.

From Monday, companies will be able to apply for refunds through the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system.

The US customs authority estimates that the amount involved could total around US$166 billion. Earlier estimates from the University of Pennsylvania put the figure at up to US$175 billion - equivalent to around 2.5 per cent of the annual US budget.

Only those companies that have paid the tariffs directly have a claim to repayment. It remains unclear to what extent consumers will benefit indirectly.

In the initial phase, the focus will be on processing tariff cases that have not yet been finally reviewed or have only recently been concluded.

Older cases are to follow at a later date. 

Thousands of businesses submitted applications at the launch, according to media reports.

Authorisations would be made within 60 to 90 days, the Customs and Border Protection (CPB) authority said.

Relying on emergency legislation dating back to 1977, US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on many US trading partners from the start of his second term in January last year.

In February, the Supreme Court ruled the tariffs illegal. The Court of International Trade in New York subsequently ruled that importers were entitled to refunds for tariffs that have already been paid.

--BERNAMA-dpa