CBP to Launch Online Tariff Refund System on April 20

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced plans to launch an online refund system on April 20 for tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the duties earlier this year. The system, known as the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, aims to process claims from importers who paid approximately $166 billion in levies on over 53 million import entries.

The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision on February 20, determined that the act did not authorize President Donald Trump to impose the tariffs, which had been enacted as emergency measures. This opened the path for refunds, though the high court left implementation details to lower courts. In early March, the U.S. Court of International Trade, under Judge Richard Eaton, ordered the government to begin issuing reimbursements. Eaton rejected arguments from federal officials that the process would be overly burdensome, stating during a hearing that "there will be no chaos associated with the provision of these refunds and that it will not result in a mess."

CBP estimates the new tool will handle Phase 1 claims for about 82 percent of...