Industry News

Senators Write to USTR: Canada Should Raise Customs Duty Minimums

March 8, 2016


In a letter addressed to U.S. Trade Representative, Michael Froman, Senators Ron Wyden (D. Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D. Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D.Conn) called for trade negotiations with Canada to focus on raising the current de minimis thresholds. Current thresholds are C$200 for goods brought back to Canada after short trips out of country, C$800 for larger items from longer trips, and a low C$20 for goods purchased online.

U.S. advocates for greater trade liberalization have pushed for de minimis changes for quite some time, but have found new justification for their cause in the recently-passed Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act. Now that the United States has increased its de minimis threshold, advocates hope that Canada will do the same.

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