New Tariff Hits Brazilian Stone
WASHINGTON – Barely a week after extensive hearings, a new 25% tariff came down on many Brazilian products, including large amounts of natural stone.
The new tariff, taking effect next week, exempts quartzite and limited varieties under the Other Stone classification, but major types such as granite, any calcareous, and slate will be subject to the levy.
“Safeguarding American economic interests against unfair trade practices is the bedrock of President (Donald) Trump’s America First policies,” stated U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in announcing the action on July 15.
Greer noted the motives for the action, including claims of lax anti-corruption enforcement, conflicts with U.S. technology companies on digital issues, and illegal deforestation to expand Brazilian farmland.
“Extensive negotiations with Brazil over the past year have not resolved these issues, but we remain open to continuing negotiations with Brazil to bring about long-needed changes to the problems identified in this investigation,” Greer added.
The new tariff, allowed under Section 301 of U.S. trade law, will be enforced as of 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 22. Goods loaded for transit to the United States will avoid the new 25% tariff if the enter the country before 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 29.
The Brazil tariff came after a year-long investigation and two rounds of public comment. The office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) received more than 360 comments concerning the proposal.
The last set of hearings on July 6-7 also included Fabio Cruz, vice president of Brazilian natural-stone association Centrorochas, as well as other stone-industry members. All of them asked for exemptions for all natural stone, noting the products had nothing to do with the trade issues cited for imposing the tariff.
“The decision preserves a significant share of Brazil’s natural stone exports to the United States, particularly quartzites, while maintaining important challenges for segments such as marble, granite, and slate,” commented Cruz on the final USTR action. “The most important outcome of this process, however, was demonstrating that the international competitiveness of our industry depends on sustained institutional engagement.
“It is not enough to respond when challenges arise; we must be present where these decisions are made. Throughout this investigation, Centrorochas presented the Brazilian industry’s position on a technical basis, strengthened its dialogue with U.S. authorities, trade associations, and companies, and built relationships that will remain strategic for future trade discussions between Brazil and the United States.”
The United States remained the leading destination for Brazilian natural stone exports during the first half of 2026, accounting for 51.2% of the sector’s total export value, according to Centrorochas data. Between January and June, the U.S. imported $364.3 million in Brazilian natural stone, a 14.4% decline compared with the same period in 2025.
Some of that decline came with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs imposed by President Trump in April 2025, which reached as high as 50% for Brazilian goods, including natural stone. Quartzite and other varieties in the Other Stone classification received a 25% exemption last fall.
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down nearly all of the IEEPA-based tariffs earlier this year, ruling that a president couldn’t use the law to arbitrarily set new rates.
The Brazil action is one of seven current Section 301 investigations initiated during the Trump administration. One on goods produced by forced labor cites 60 countries, including leading hard-surface trading partners, including Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Mexico, Türkiye, and Vietnam.
