Are goods eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) exempted from the US 10% baseline tariff on imports from Singapore? Are there any other FTAs that Singapore exporters can tap on for an exemption?
The 10% baseline tariff and USSFTA preferential tariff rates operate independently of each other.
Goods that: a) are eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the USSFTA; and b) which have not been exempted by the US, will only be subject to the 10% baseline tariff.
Goods that: a) are eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the USSFTA; and b) which have been specifically exempted by the US, will continue to enjoy the USSFTA preferential tariff rate of 0%.
Goods that: a) are not eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the USSFTA; and b) which have not been exempted by the US, will be subject to the 10% baseline tariff as well as the standard MFN rate for that good. The standard MFN rate for all US imports can be found under Column 1 in the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC) Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS).
The interaction between the 10% baseline tariff and the USSFTA is summarised below:
Scenario | Tariff Treatment |
Goods not exempted from the 10% baseline tariff
| 10% baseline tariff applies.
If eligible for USSFTA, 10% baseline tariff + 0% duty under USSFTA applies.
If not eligible for USSFTA, 10% baseline tariff + standard Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rate applies.
|
Goods exempted from the 10% baseline tariff and are eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the USSFTA
| 0% duty under USSFTA. |
Goods exempted from the 10% baseline tariff and are not eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the USSFTA
| Standard MFN rate applies. |
Singapore does not have any other FTAs with the US beyond the USSFTA.
Related questions
How do I qualify for preferential tariff treatment under the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) for my exports to the US?
Can companies producing goods in other countries export these goods to Singapore first, and then from Singapore to the US, to qualify for the 10% baseline tariff?
Is my good eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the AHKFTA?
Can I export goods to the US under the US-Singapore FTA (USSFTA) Integrated Sourcing Initiative (ISI) to be exempt from the 10% baseline tariff?
