> For example, importers must declare the exact amount of steel, copper, and aluminum in products, with a 100% tariff applied to these materials. This makes little sense—PCBs, for instance, contain copper traces, but the quantity is nearly impossible to estimate.

I think if the shipper can't determine the amount of copper in their products, then neither can customs.

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mapontosevenths 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

Nobody being able to figure it out is the entire point.

From TFA: "U.S. customs is demanding a Certificate of Analysis (which could cost thousands of dollars and to determine what exact amount of Aluminum, Copper and Steel are in the product), otherwise they assume the entire PCB consists of copper, aluminum, and steel, and charge a 100% tariff on the whole product. "

They WANT you to pay the full 100% in taxes.

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phendrenad2 2 days ago | parent [-]

Nah, this is how government bureaucracy works (especially Trumpian bureaucracy). They rush to implement some policy, and don't think of all the various edge cases and loopholes. That's how we got Section 174 (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44180533). And look at how long it took for that to be repealed.

	▲	Terr_ 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		Pretty much every authoritarian regime tells a similar lie: They claim rule will bring order and consistency... but dig below the marketing, and it's actually chaos and caprice, because that's easier for them and there's no opposition to keep them honest.

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umanwizard 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

From the article:

> U.S. customs is demanding a Certificate of Analysis (which could cost thousands of dollars and to determine what exact amount of Aluminum, Copper and Steel are in the product), otherwise they assume the entire PCB consists of copper, aluminum, and steel, and charge a 100% tariff on the whole product

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kjs3 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I think if the shipper can't determine the amount of copper in their products, then neither can customs.

Customs doesn't have to. They can simply decide you haven't followed the rules, and it'll be up to you to prove you haven't or face paying fines/losing a shipment/possible prosecution. And they can decide the playing field: can you be wrong by 10% on that copper estimate? 1%? 0.001%? Good luck.

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bee_rider 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Maybe they are hoping that we’ll chicken out if they try to follow the rules correctly, at our inconvenience?