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US Commerce Defines 'U.S. Content' for Metals Tariffs on USMCA Goods from Canada and Mexico
The Bureau of Industry and Security has told CBP how to measure U.S. content in USMCA goods from Canada and Mexico for the steel, aluminium and copper tariffs. The guidance applies to entries from 14 October 2026.
What changed
The US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published guidance to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on 14 October 2026 on assessing "U.S. content" for products of Canada and Mexico that qualify for preferential treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It applies to tariffs under clause (2)(d) of Proclamation 11032 of 1 June 2026, which adjusted the tariffs on aluminium, steel and copper.
The definition
BIS says U.S. content means "the value of the product attributable to parts wholly obtained, entirely produced, or substantially transformed in the United States", plus, where not already counted, the value of steel "melted and poured in the United States" and aluminium or copper "smelted and cast in the United States".
Effective date
The guidance "is effective with respect to products that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on October 14, 2026."
Who it affects
US importers of USMCA-qualifying metal-containing goods from Canada and Mexico, and their suppliers.
What exporters and importers should do
- Review how U.S. content is calculated in your entry declarations against the two-part definition.
- Collect supplier records showing where parts were made and where steel was melted and poured or aluminium and copper smelted and cast.
- Direct questions on a specific product to CBP, as the notice states.
Source: Bureau of Industry and Security, Federal Register FR Doc. 2026-20938 (14 Oct 2026).
