On January 1, 2025, Canada is set to make changes to its to unilateral tariff programs for imports under the Customs Tariff. The changes include several beneficiary countries being graduated from the General Preferential Tariff (“GPT”) and Least Developed Country Tariff (“LDCT”) programs, and the introduction of a General Preferential Tariff Plus Program (“GPTP”) that will come into force at a later date.
Background
Canada’s customs system operates on the basis of preferential tariffs, in which countries are assigned a particular tariff treatment. The tariff treatment assigned to a country is used (in conjunction with the HS Code) to determine the rate of duty imposed on a particular good imported into Canada from that country.