News / US tariff on Brazilian exports 'kind of snuck in on us', says Flexport

The new measures, due to take effect on 22 July, target selected Brazilian products, but exempt goods that are either not produced in the US or where tariffs could disrupt domestic supply chains – these include coffee, beef, oranges and orange juice, certain oil and gas energy products, and aerospace parts and components.

The Office of the US Trade Representative said its decision followed a year-long investigation that found Brazil maintained “unfair trade practices”, including weak anti-corruption enforcement and what it described as unreasonable tariff policies.

The announcement comes as shippers are adjusting to a series of new trade agreements that could offset costs elsewhere in global supply chains.

During a Flexport webinar this week, Courtney Oskin, its global customs director, said the EU-US trade agreement, which quietly came into force this month, had emerged from negotiations that began during the period of reciprocal tariff uncertainty.

“This one kind of snuck in on us,” she said, noting that negotiations stemmed from the tariff environment following “Liberation Day” in April.

The agreement, which runs until the end of 2029, provides immediate duty-free status for selected US-origin chemicals, pharmaceuticals, metals, and machinery under its first annex, partial tariff relief on certain fruit and vegetable products under a second annex, and tariff-rate quotas for some meat, dairy, and seafood products.

Ms Oskin stressed that companies must ensure goods meet the origin requirements to benefit.

“The goods need to be wholly obtained in the US or to have had a substantial transformation,” she said, adding that importers should maintain robust documentation to support preferential claims.

Flexport also highlighted the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which enters into force this week and is expected to become the UK’s largest bilateral trade agreement since leaving the EU.

It covers sectors including clothing, jewellery, seafood, and vehicles, with tariff reductions expected to deliver significant commercial benefits. Ms Oskin advised importers to prepare now.

“Just ensure that you are working with a broker that can help support all your documentation, understands the complexity of this, and can help you navigate any of these requirements that are out there,” she underscored.