The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) announced on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, its recommendations for safeguard measures regarding imports of quartz surface products. This follows the Commission’s unanimous determination on April 1, 2026, that these products are being imported in such increased quantities as to cause serious injury to the domestic U.S. industry.
Proposed Tariffs and Quotas
To address the injury caused to local producers, the Commission is recommending the implementation of a Tariff-Rate Quota (TRQ) system for a period of four years. These measures are designed to apply to both raw quartz slabs and finished/fabricated products.
According to the proposal:
-
Year 1: An in-quota tariff of 25% and an over-quota tariff of 40%.
-
Step-down Period: These rates are proposed to decrease by one percentage point in each of the subsequent three years of the relief period.
The primary goal of these measures is to provide the domestic industry with the necessary time to adjust to import competition and regain long-term viability.
Exemptions and Enforcement
The Commissioners have also recommended the exclusion of certain countries from the quota system. Furthermore, they emphasized the need for a robust monitoring mechanism to prevent any attempts to circumvent the measures. Commissioner Kearns specifically provided additional recommendations regarding these enforcement mechanisms, which will be detailed in the final report.
Next Steps
The USITC is scheduled to submit its comprehensive report to the President of the United States by May 18, 2026. This report will include the full reasoning behind the injury determination, detailed remedy recommendations, and the findings of the investigation.
The final authority to implement these measures—and to determine their exact nature and duration—rests with the President. A public version of the report (USITC Publication 5738) will be available on the Commission’s website by June 26, 2026.
