US Tariffs on Switzerland

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When I was in the US Navy on west pac I brought a lot of stuff home I shipped a stereo piece by piece home. Went to the Garcia fishing equipment factory in Korea, bought a Seiko diver I still wear and a car stereo this was in 1983 paid no taxes paid no tariffs. Was wondering if the US Military when they bring stuff home is still duty free. So looked up on the net looks like they get hit like everybody else with tariffs. Being on a ship I seen Japanese motorcycles brought back on ship if we had the space. They protect our country one benefit they should get anything they bring back after a tour overseas away from home is tariff and tax free the stuff you bring home for your service. Instead of getting screwed with a tariff.
 
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When I was in the US Navy on west pac I brought a lot of stuff home I shipped a stereo piece by piece home. Went to the Garcia fishing equipment factory in Korea, bought a Seiko diver I still wear and a car stereo this was in 1983 paid no taxes paid no tariffs. Was wondering if the US Military when they bring stuff home is still duty free. So looked up on the net looks like they get hit like everybody else with tariffs. Being on a ship I seen Japanese motorcycles brought back on ship if we had the space. They protect our country one benefit they should get anything they bring back after a tour overseas away from home is tariff and tax free the stuff you bring home for your service. Instead of getting screwed with a tariff.
That is.... not true. If it were true a service member might be asked to pay tariffs on everything they bring back, which has never happened.

For many years there has been a form a service member can fill out when you purchase a vehicle overseas, which allows it to get through back to the U.S., and what you will pay is dependent upon the state you register it in, but no tariff on your personal car or motorcycle.

Here is the government blurb.
Vehicles imported by government employees and service members are exempt from Section 232 duties under Chapter 98.

Under HTSUS Subheading 9805.00.50, military and civilian employees of the U.S. government returning at the end of an assignment due to extended duty outside the customs territory of the U.S., or returning members of their family that resided with them at such post or station: may enter vehicles among their duty-free personal and household effects. Generally, extended duty is 140 days or more (120 days for certain Navy deployments). The vehicle must have been in the possession of a government employee, service member, or one of their family members prior to importation.

Vehicles do not qualify for this exemption if: imported for sale, or for the use of someone who is not a government employee, service member, or one of their familymembers. Imported vehicles must meet EPA and DOT requirements
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That is.... not true. If it were true a service member might be asked to pay tariffs on everything they bring back, which has never happened.

For many years there has been a form a service member can fill out when you purchase a vehicle overseas, which allows it to get through back to the U.S., and what you will pay is dependent upon the state you register it in, but no tariff on your personal car or motorcycle.

Here is the government blurb.
Vehicles imported by government employees and service members are exempt from Section 232 duties under Chapter 98.

Under HTSUS Subheading 9805.00.50, military and civilian employees of the U.S. government returning at the end of an assignment due to extended duty outside the customs territory of the U.S., or returning members of their family that resided with them at such post or station: may enter vehicles among their duty-free personal and household effects. Generally, extended duty is 140 days or more (120 days for certain Navy deployments). The vehicle must have been in the possession of a government employee, service member, or one of their family members prior to importation.

Vehicles do not qualify for this exemption if: imported for sale, or for the use of someone who is not a government employee, service member, or one of their familymembers. Imported vehicles must meet EPA and DOT requirements
I never brought a car or motorcycle but there a larger item so don't know if they got hit, I just saw that stuff brought back by others. But I never had to pay for the smaller stuff. Think the last time I brought back anything was a Persian rug stuffed in my flight bag coming back from Bahrain and a few small items like a gold ring gold was cheap over there. Did not pay a dime that was 1999. The stereo I shipped home I took it to the ships post office and sent it home my brother picked it up for me this was 1984 maybe I was lucky, but I paid no taxes. But then we had a larger Navy like 600 ships where a ship could get lost in the cracks to inspect.
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As expected rationality has prevailed in the tariff wars as it pertains to Switzerland. A deal has just been announced where Swiss tariffs will be set at 15% for goods exported to the US. Gone is the punitive 39% rate, it was never sustainable. Watch and chocolate lovers can breathe a sigh of relief. Supposedly the breakthrough came when top Swiss CEOs visited Trump in the Oval Office, I guess they were sufficiently 'nice' to him. ::psy::
 
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As expected rationality has prevailed in the tariff wars as it pertains to Switzerland. A deal has just been announced where Swiss tariffs will be set at 15% for goods exported to the US. Gone is the punitive 39% rate, it was never sustainable. Watch and chocolate lovers can breathe a sigh of relief. Supposedly the breakthrough came when top Swiss CEOs visited Trump in the Oval Office, I guess they were sufficiently 'nice' to him. ::psy::

And a large solid gold date just desk clock as well

 
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Japan is a big winner. Great used Swiss watches from Japan at good prices.
 
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Fantastic news now all the Swiss brand watches will roll back prices accordingly 😂😂😂
 
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So this means the ridiculous tariffication on Swiss made goods is no longer in effect and it's back to the standard rule of the country where it's shipped from?
That’s not the “standard rule”. Tariffs have always been assessed based on the country of origin
 
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Japan is a big winner. Great used Swiss watches from Japan at good prices.
Agreed, and bummed that the ridiculously affordable double signed Meister 168.022 that I was eyeing was just sold last week. Saw the news and went to check the listing but....oh well, wasn't meant to be.

So this means the ridiculous tariffication on Swiss made goods is no longer in effect and it's back to the standard rule of the country where it's shipped from?
Great question, but I'd be curious if they bring back the "de minimis" exemption.
 
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Agreed, and bummed that the ridiculously affordable double signed Meister 168.022 that I was eyeing was just sold last week. Saw the news and went to check the listing but....oh well, wasn't meant to be.


Great question, but I'd be curious if they bring back the "de minimis" exemption.
Sadly, this 99% unlikely.
 
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Great question, but I'd be curious if they bring back the "de minimis" exemption.
Only when the our government decides that we are not Fentanyl smugglers.

At least that’s the rationale they used for revoking the original exemption.
gatorcpa
 
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Only when the our government decides that we are not Fentanyl smugglers.

At least that’s the rationale they used for revoking the original exemption.
gatorcpa
This is not quite the rationale. "We" means "all of us".
This is not what the government states. Let's be honest about it.

In reality, this is likely designed to hurt Chinese economy to put political pressure on their Communist Party. It may have such an impact, probably limited, but it also inconveniences a lot of Americans.
 
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Look, I work in one of the few fields where the government is allowed to presume you are guilty and it is up to you to prove your own innocence.

Then I see this in a press release from the White House:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-she...nas-role-in-americas-synthetic-opioid-crisis/

I do not believe this press release for one moment. Who are the addressees on all of these packages with drugs? If they are coming here, then they must reside in the U.S. Why not just screen the packages better and go after addressees? That costs money.

Now if you read the fine print, the real reason this is being done is to take away a loophole in the customs law that existed for decades. It was costing the government billions.

This is a revenue raiser for the government, period. No different than a raise in the marginal income tax rate. But they can’t call it that because the people will revolt. So our government blames it on China to give people a scapegoat.

Believe me that this matters less than zero to the CCP.
gatorcpa
 
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Believe me that this matters less than zero to the CCP.
gatorcpa
I respectfully disagree, regardless of what the CCP says. It certainly does matter to them.
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Thanks God Rolex save the day with the golden desk clock
 
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I respectfully disagree, regardless of the CCP says. It certainly does matter to them.
Only from a public relations standpoint. I think the Chinese expected the tariffs and also knew they were negotiable.
gatorcpa
 
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I might just wait for the Supreme Court's decision. They sounded pretty skeptical about the President's ability to levy taxes.