IEEPA Tariff Refund Process Recap:  The roll out of the refund process continues, bringing optimism to the import community that refunds actually may happen. On Tuesday, March 31, CBP’s Executive Director of Trade Programs filed a declaration with the U.S. Court of International Trade providing a progress update on the agency’s new IEEPA duty refund processing system called CAPE (Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries). As we reported last week, the system has four components and remains under development: the Claim Portal is 85% complete, Review and Liquidation/Reliquidation is 80% complete, the Refund component is 75% complete, and Mass Processing is 60% complete. CBP represents that development remains on schedule. While a date was not announced for the start up of the claims process, previous reports indicated a goal of late April.   Some trade experts are still recommending filing protests, especially for entries nearing final liquidation.

We will continue to monitor the updates from CIT and CBP as they become available. Should you need assistance analyzing your entries or phase eligibility please reach out to hear how we can help.

Disruption in Ireland and North Europe: Ireland is now entering its fourth consecutive day of major disruption, as truck and bus operators, farmers, and other fuel-dependent commercial groups continue to blockade key roadways and cities nationwide. These actions are part of an ongoing protest against the government’s response to the sharply rising fuel costs driven by the Iranian conflict.

Compounding existing challenges, Antwerp is also experiencing further operational strain. In addition to ongoing transshipment delays, an oil spill has occurred which is expected to exacerbate disruptions. At present, several carriers have vessels delayed in Antwerp, and feeder vessel service from Ireland is also likely to be impacted. We will continue to monitor these disruptions and provide updates accordingly.

Section 122 tariffs and Section 301 Investigations: At this point, the new tariffs implemented by President Trump under Section 122 remain at 10% despite various threats to raise this amount to 15%. Subsequently, the US administration has launched a series of Section 301 investigations into trade practices that could result in additional tariffs being levied. The USTR has an open comment period and hearing process for these investigations, and affected stakeholders can submit written comments by April 15.

Section 232 Update: New executive actions have modified Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum products. Some products with minimal derivative products have been removed from the list, some commodities will have a lower tariff, and others a higher tariff due to a change in valuation process, now basing the tariff on the full sales value of the metals.  For importers of beer in cans, beer has been removed from the list and the value of the steel and aluminum content of the cans is no longer subject to the Section 232 tariffs.  The entire product is, however, now subject to the Section 122 tariff of 10%.  If you have any questions on this change, please let us know. 

EU-USA Trade Agreement:  The European Union continues to move forward to approve the EU-USA trade agreement. The EU parliament voted for conditional approval of the agreement and the next phase is to have each country in the EU finalize approval and sign off on the deal, which is likely to happen in April and May. The good news for beverage alcohol importers is that the agreement has been modified with a “suspension” clause that could suspend the deal if the US implements new tariffs exceeding 15%.

Chile Pass Closure: The Los Libertadores border crossing closed today at 1pm Chilean time, suspending transit for all vehicles due to unstable weather in the high mountain area. We are continuing to monitor this situation and will provide updates on any potential delays or congestion this closure may cause. 

Shipping Costs Continue to Increase: Emergency Bunker and fuel charges continue to be implemented as the Strait of Hormuz remains a conflict zone and there is only limited activity of vessels transiting the strait.  The current cease fire may lead to flows resuming through the strait in the next days, but we do not expect any immediate turn around in oil prices.    During the talks toward a peace deal, Iran has proposed to charge a fee for ships transiting the strait but there is considerable pushback on this proposal.  

Carriers have all introduced various Emergency Surcharges, including new fuel surcharges from ocean, trucking, and intermodal providers.  We are monitoring developments closely, ensuring FMC compliance, and working with partners to mitigate impact.

Government Shutdown Update: The US remains in a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, now entering its eighth week. Some workers, like TSA agents, have received temporary pay through executive action, but the broader funding issue remains unresolved, and negotiations are still ongoing. While the Senate has proposed a compromise to fund most of DHS, the House is on recess, so will not vote on it until at least Tuesday, April 14^th. Until then, the shutdown remains in effect. We will continue to provide updates on this ongoing situation.

Space is Still Available for WSSA’s Annual California Event! Join WSSA for a business meeting and luncheon discussing the latest updates within the wine and spirits and logistics industries, followed by a happy hour harbor cruise showcasing the Port of Oakland. The event will take place May 8, 2026, with the business meeting at the Claremont Resort & Club from 12-3:30pm and the Harbor Cruise Tour from 4:30-7:30pm. Topics include updates on the global logistics market, discussion on IEEPA and tariff mitigation, and expertise on duty drawback. RSVP to hrandolph@wssa.com to reserve your spot!

LCL Services from France, Italy, and Spain/Portugal: Bi-monthly departures continue from each of these countries for your small shipments, offering a per case rate from point of pick up to the Alba Wine and Spirits warehouse in Edison New Jersey. Shipments from other European countries can be added into the mix, with pick-ups offered in most European countries. Please let us know if you need any further information!