While the Trump tariffs have so far singled out allegedly unfair treatment of the US by Canada when it comes to border protection and the fentanyl crisis, the question remains if focus might shift to Canada’s supply management system.
A recent announcement from Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) indicated Canada’s dry wheat quota had already been surpassed on January 12, mere weeks into the year. This raises questions about the fairness of the tariff rate quota (“TRQ”) system for anyone but the largest Canadian importers who have the means to take advantage of it.
The Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) resets its “audit priority areas” twice per year. Essentially, the CBSA designates certain tariff classification codes as priority areas for customs verifications (i.e., “audits”), based on the program areas which the CBSA believes pose significant risk for important non-compliance in tariff classification, valuation, and origin of goods.
Global Affairs Canada (“GAC”) has announced it is now accepting applications for the 2025-year tariff rate quotas (the “TRQs”) for most dairy products (including cheese and ice cream), and poultry (including eggs). Applications opened October 1, 2024, and the deadline to apply is November 15, 2024.
