United States of America: Introduced End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act (HB 7979)

On 15 April 2024, the End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act (HB 7979) was introduced in the US House of Representatives. The Act applies to the private sector involved in importing goods under section 321 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which provides for the de minimis threshold exempting shipments from duties and taxes if their total value is under USD 800. The proposed Act aims to tighten the de minimis exemption by prohibiting the splitting of orders to bypass import duties, restricting exemptions for goods subject to specific trade restrictions, and requiring detailed classification of certain imports. It also provides for civil penalties of USD 5’000 for the first violation and USD 10’000 for subsequent offences.