BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 24. Around 95% of Kazakhstan's exports to the United States will remain exempt from the newly introduced U.S. additional import tariff, the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration said.
"The Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan continues to engage with the U.S. side to protect the interests of Kazakh exporters and seek mutually acceptable solutions," it said in a statement.
The comment followed the United States' final decision, adopted on July 23, after an investigation under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974.
Effective July 24, the United States is imposing an additional 12.5% tariff on certain goods of Kazakh origin. The measure does not apply to products included in exemption lists approved by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The ministry noted that the temporary 10% import surcharge introduced earlier expired after its 150-day term and is not cumulative with the new 12.5% tariff.
The U.S. measures target economies that Washington says have not sufficiently introduced or effectively enforced bans on imports of goods produced with forced labor. Kazakhstan is among 54 economies identified by U.S. authorities as failing to adequately introduce and enforce such prohibitions. Six additional economies were cited for failing to effectively enforce existing bans on imports made with forced labor.
