WTO - World Trade Organization
WTO - World Trade Organization
05/05/2026 | Press release | Archived content
United States notifies import surcharges, ready for WTO consultations
balance of payments
United States notifies import surcharges, ready for WTO consultations
At a meeting of the Committee on Balance-of-Payments Restrictions held on 5 May, WTO members discussed the United States' new notification regarding the imposition of import surcharges to address the country's serious balance-of-payments deficits. The United States said the surcharges took effect on 24 February 2026 and will expire on 24 July 2026, unless extended by an act of Congress. Members welcomed the transparency of the United States and its readiness to engage in consultations in line with WTO rules.
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Note
This note has been prepared by the WTO Secretariat to assist public understanding about the work of the WTO's councils, committees and other bodies. It is not intended as a complete account of all issues raised at the meeting. These can be found in the formal meeting minutes.
The Committee elected Ambassador R.G.S.P.K. Wijesekara of Sri Lanka as its new Chair, taking over from Ambassador Dr. Jos� Roberto S�nchez-Fung of the Dominican Republic.�
The United States said that on 20 February 2026, the President of the United States imposed an import surcharge of 10% ad valorem on imports of all goods from all trading partners, subject to certain product exceptions, pursuant to Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, citing fundamental international payment problems. The United�States notified this balance-of-payments (BOP) measure to the WTO on 20 March 2026 (WT/BOP/N/85). The import surcharge applies in excess of the bound duty rates agreed to by the United States in its WTO Schedule of Concessions on goods.
The United States said it is ready to enter into consultations within the Committee. It also requested that consultations take place next month, as provided for under WTO rules.�
Members welcomed the United States' transparency and acknowledged that recourse to balance-of-payments measures is provided for under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994. At the same time, members raised concerns about the necessity of the measures and their impact on global trade. They noted the role of the International Monetary Fund in these matters and expressed their readiness to participate in the consultations with the United States. Under WTO rules, such consultations should take place within four months of the measure's adoption.
More information
WTO members facing balance-of-payment difficulty may apply import restrictions under provisions in the GATT 1994 and under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
The Committee on Balance-of-Payments Restrictions (BOP Committee) consults with WTO members who maintain import restrictions for balance-of-payments reasons. The International Monetary Fund is invited to participate in BOP Committee meetings.
More information is available�here.
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WTO - World Trade Organization published this content on May 05, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 07, 2026 at 16:16 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]