U.S. Trade Representative Says No Immediate Tariffs on Semiconductors

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Friday that no immediate tariffs are planned on semiconductor imports. Greer made the remarks while visiting a memory chip plant expansion project outside Washington. He noted that tariffs on semiconductors are important but stressed that timing and scale matter more than the duties themselves.

"So, having tariffs on semiconductors is really important. What's even more important than having protection for facilities like this, is making sure we do it on the right timing and in the right amount," Greer said. "There was not an immediate tariff coming," he added.

The comments appear to address possible duties that could follow national security investigations under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

August, officials threatened to impose tariffs of about 100 percent on semiconductors. South Korean firms Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. have monitored the policy developments. Under a prior joint fact sheet between Seoul and Washington, the U.S. agreed to offer semiconductor tariff rates no less favorable than those given to partners with comparable trade volumes.