To Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition From Imports of Quartz Surface Products

Proclamation 11051 of July 31, 2026 To Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition From Imports of Quartz Surface Products A Proclamation 1. On May 18, 2026, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) transmitted to the President a report (ITC Report) on its investigation under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (Trade Act) ( 19 U.S.C. 2252 ), with respect to imports of quartz surface products (QSP), which are classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) in subheadings 6810.99.0020, 6810.99.0040, and 7020.00.6000. 2. The ITC reached an affirmative determination under section 202(b) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2252(b) ) that QSP is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported article. 3. Pursuant to section 301(a) of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (USMCA Implementation Act) ( 19 U.S.C. 4551(a) ), the ITC made negative findings as to whether imports of Canada and Mexico, considered individually, account for a substantial share of total imports and contribute importantly to the serious injury caused by imports. 4. Pursuant to statutes implementing certain free trade agreements to which the United States is a party, the ITC further found that imports of QSP that are a product of Australia, each Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement country ( i.e., Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) (CAFTA-DR countries), as well as Colombia, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Panama, Peru, and Singapore, individually, are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof. 5. Further, pursuant to section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-573, 98 Stat. 2948, 3016 (1984)) ( 19 U.S.C. 2112 note ), the ITC found that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from the reduction or elimination of any duty provided for under the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement. The ITC also found, pursuant to section 213(e) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) (Public Law 98-67, 97 Stat. 369 (1983)) ( 19 U.S.C. 2703(e) ), that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from duty-free treatment provided for under the CBERA provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative trade program or the Generalized System of Preferences program. 6. The ITC Commissioners who voted in the affirmative on serious injury transmitted to the President their individual conclusions that each of the recommendations considered would address the serious injury to the domestic industry and be most effective in facilitating the efforts of the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition. 7. On June 2, 2026, the United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) requested additional information from the ITC under section 203(a)(5) ( printed page 50646) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(5) ). On July 2, 2026, the ITC provided a response that identified unforeseen developments that led to the importation of QSP into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury (ITC Supplemental Report). The ITC Supplemental Report also stated, among other things, that increased imports of QSP of all countries other than Australia, Canada, the CAFTA-DR countries, Colombia, Israel, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Singapore, and CBERA beneficiaries are a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry. 8. Pursuant to section 203 of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253 ), and after taking into account the considerations specified in section 203(a)(2) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(2) ), the ITC Report, and the ITC Supplemental Report, I determine that it is appropriate and feasible to take action of a type described in section 203(a)(3) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(3) ) (safeguard measure) with regard to QSP described in the ITC's Notice of Institution, 90 FR 55165 (Dec. 1, 2025), listed in subdivision (a) of Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation, and classifiable in the HTSUS in subheadings 6810.99.0020, 6810.99.0040, and 7020.00.6000. 9. Specifically, I determine that it is appropriate and feasible to impose a safeguard measure in the form of a tariff-rate quota on imports of QSP as described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation, for a period of 4 years, with annual increases in the within-quota quantities and reductions in the rates of duty applicable to goods entered within and in excess of those quantities in the second, third, and fourth years, as provided in the Annex to this proclamation. 10. The safeguard measure shall apply to imports of all countries, except as provided in paragraphs 11 through 14 of this proclamation. 11. The safeguard measure set forth in this proclamation shall not apply to imports of any product of a developing country, as listed in subdivision (c) of Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation, as long as such a country's share of total imports of the product, based on imports during a recent representative period, does not exceed 3 percent, provided that imports that are the product of all such countries with less than 3 percent import share collectively account for not more than 9 percent of total imports of the product. If a surge in imports of a product described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation of a developing country that is a World Trade Organization (WTO) Member results in imports of that product from that developing country exceeding either of the thresholds described in this paragraph, this action shall be modified to apply to such product of such country, as further described in this proclamation. 12. Pursuant to section 302(a) of the USMCA Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 4552(a) ), I determine, after considering the ITC Report and the ITC Supplemental Report and after taking into account the considerations specified in section 203(a)(2) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(2) ), that imports of QSP that are the product of Canada and Mexico, considered individually, do not account for a substantial share of total imports and do not contribute importantly to the serious injury found by the ITC. Accordingly, pursuant to section 302(b) of the USMCA Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 4552(b) ), I exclude QSP that is the product of Canada or Mexico from the action taken in this proclamation under section 203 of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253 ). 13. After considering the ITC Report and the ITC Supplemental Report and after taking into account the considerations specified in section 203(a)(2) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(2) ), I also make the following determinations with regard to QSP that is the product of the following trading partners: (a) I determine that imports of QSP that are the product of Australia are not a substantial cause of the serious injury found by the ITC. I determine that such imports that are the product of Australia shall be excluded from the action taken in this proclamation, pursuant to section 331(b) of the ( printed page 50647) United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act ( Public Law 108-286 , 118 Stat. 919, 949 (2004)) ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ). (b) In light of the ITC's finding that imports of QSP that are the product of each CAFTA-DR country individually are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I determine that such imports that are the product of each of the CAFTA-DR countries shall be excluded from the action taken in this proclamation, pursuant to section 331(b) of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CAFTA-DR Implementation Act) ( Public Law 109-53 , 119 Stat. 462, 495 (2005)) ( 19 U.S.C. 4101(b) ). (c) In light of the ITC's finding that imports of QSP that are the product of Colombia are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I determine that such imports that are the product of Colombia shall be excluded from the action taken in this proclamation, pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act ( Public Law 112-42 , 125 Stat. 462, 494 (2011)) ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ). (d) In light of the ITC's finding that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from the reduction or elimination of any duty provided for under the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement, I determine, as part of the action taken in this proclamation under section 203 of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253 ), not to suspend the reduction or elimination of any duty on imports of QSP that are the product of Israel, pursuant to section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 ( 19 U.S.C. 2112 note ). (e) In light of the ITC's finding that imports of QSP that are the product of the Republic of Korea are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I determine that such imports that are the product of the Republic of Korea shall be excluded from the action taken in this proclamation, pursuant to section 341(b) of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act ( Public Law 112-41 , 125 Stat. 428, 459 (2011)) ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ). (f) In light of the ITC's finding that imports of QSP that are the product of Panama are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I determine that such imports that are the product of Panama shall be excluded from the action taken in this proclamation, pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act ( Public Law 112-43 , 125 Stat. 497, 529 (2011)) ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ). (g) In light of the ITC's finding that imports of QSP that are the product of Peru are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I determine that such imports that are the product of Peru shall be excluded from the action taken in this proclamation, pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act ( Public Law 110-138 , 121 Stat. 1455, 1486 (2007)) ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ). (h) In light of the ITC's finding that imports of QSP that are the product of Singapore are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I determine that imports of QSP that are the product of Singapore are not a substantial cause of the serious injury found by the ITC. I therefore determine that such imports that are the product of Singapore shall be excluded from the action taken in this proclamation, pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act ( Public Law 108-78 , 117 Stat. 948, 970 (2003)) ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ). (i) In light of the ITC's finding that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from duty-free treatment provided under the CBERA provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative trade program, I determine, as part of the action taken in this proclamation under section 203 of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253 ), not to suspend duty-free treatment pursuant ( printed page 50648) to section 213(e)(1) of CBERA ( 19 U.S.C. 2703(e)(1) ) with respect to imports of QSP that are the product of any CBERA beneficiary country or territory. 14. While the ITC recommended excluding Jordan from this action under the United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act ( Public Law 107-43 , 115 Stat. 243 (2001)) ( 19 U.S.C. 2112 note ), I instead determine that such imports that are the product of Jordan shall be excluded from the action taken in paragraph 9 of this proclamation because Jordan is a developing country. 15. Pursuant to section 203(a)(1)(A) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(1)(A) ), I determine that the safeguard measure will facilitate efforts by the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs. If I determine that further action is appropriate and feasible to facilitate efforts by the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs, or if I determine that the conditions under section 204(b)(1) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2254(b)(1) ) are met, I shall reduce, modify, or terminate the action established in this proclamation accordingly. In addition, if I determine within 30 days of the date of this proclamation, as a result of consultations between the United States and one or more other WTO Members pursuant to Article 12.3 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, that it is necessary to reduce, modify, or terminate the safeguard measure, the corresponding reduction, modification, or termination of the safeguard measure shall be imposed within 40 days of the date of this proclamation. 16. In my judgment, and after taking into account the considerations specified in section 203(a)(2) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(2) ), the ITC Report, and the ITC Supplemental Report, I determine that the action taken in this proclamation, including its extent and duration, is appropriate and feasible and will facilitate efforts by the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs. 17. Section 604 of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2483 ) authorizes the President to embody in the HTSUS the substance of the relevant provisions of that Act, and of other acts affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including sections 201, 203, 204, and 604 of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2251 , 2253 , 2254 , and 2483 ); section 302 of the USMCA Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 4552 ); section 331(b) of the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ); section 331(b) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 4101(b) ); section 331(b) of the United States-Colombia Free Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ); section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 ( 19 U.S.C. 2112 note ); section 331(b) of the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ); section 331(b) of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ); section 341(b) of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ); section 331(b) of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note ); section 213(e) of CBERA ( 19 U.S.C. 2703(e) ); and section 301 of title 3, United States Code , do hereby proclaim that: (1) To establish a tariff-rate quota on imports of the QSP products described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation, subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS is modified as provided in the Annex to this proclamation. Any merchandise subject to the safeguard measure that is admitted into U.S. foreign trade zones on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern time on August 15, 2026, must be admitted as “privileged foreign status” as defined in 19 ( printed page 50649) CFR 146.41, and will be subject upon entry for consumption to any quantitative restrictions or tariffs related to the classification under the applicable HTSUS subheading. (2) Except as otherwise provided in this proclamation, imports of QSP that are the product of Australia, Canada, the CAFTA-DR countries, CBERA beneficiary countries and territories, Colombia, the Republic of Korea, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Peru, or Singapore shall be excluded from the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, and such imports shall not be counted toward the tariff-rate quota. (3) Except as provided in clause (4) of this proclamation, imports of QSP that are the product of developing countries, as listed in subdivision (c) of Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation, shall be excluded from the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, and such imports shall not be counted toward the tariff-rate quota. (4) The Trade Representative is authorized, upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register , to revise subdivision (c) of Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation to remove a country from the list or suspend operation of that subdivision, as appropriate, if, after the safeguard measure established in this proclamation takes effect, I or the Trade Representative determines that: (a) the share of total imports of the product of a country listed in subdivision (c) of Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation, based on imports during a recent representative period, exceeds 3 percent; (b) imports of the product from all listed countries with less than 3 percent import share collectively account for more than 9 percent of total imports of the product; or (c) a country listed in subdivision (c) of Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation is no longer a developing country for purposes of this proclamation. (5) If, after the safeguard measure established in this proclamation takes effect, I determine, or the Trade Representative determines, that circumvention of the action taken in this proclamation is occurring, then the Trade Representative is authorized, at the direction of, or with the concurrence of, the President, to take additional action, including under sections 203 and 204(b)(2) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253 , 2254(b)(2) ), as may be necessary to eliminate the circumvention. To implement any additional action to address circumvention, the Trade Representative is authorized, upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register , to revise Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation, as appropriate. (6) If, after the safeguard measure established in this proclamation takes effect, I determine, or the Trade Representative determines, that there is a surge in imports of QSP from any country excluded pursuant to clause (2) of this proclamation, then the Trade Representative shall extend the safeguard measure in this proclamation to imports of QSP from the country in which the surge is occurring. The Trade Representative is also authorized, at the direction of, or with the approval of, the President, to take any other additional appropriate and feasible action to address the import surge, including pursuant to section 302(c) of the USMCA Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 4552(c) ) or section 204(b)(2) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2254(b)(2) ). The Trade Representative is authorized, upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register , to revise Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation to address the import surge, as appropriate. (7) The Trade Representative is authorized, at the direction of, or with the approval of, the President, to exercise the authority in section 302(c) of the USMCA Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 4552(c) ) with regard to imports of QSP from either Canada or Mexico, including upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register , to revise Note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation, as appropriate. Nothing in this clause shall be construed to limit the scope of clause (6) of this proclamation. ( printed page 50650) (8) I authorize the Trade Representative to negotiate agreements with foreign trade partners pursuant to section 203(a)(3)(E) and 203(f) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(3)(E) , (f)). Such agreements must include conditions limiting the export from foreign trading partners and the import into the United States of QSP. Such agreements may also include commitments to invest in QSP production, to include production of unfinished QSP slabs, in the United States. If the Trade Representative concludes an agreement that the Trade Representative, in consultation with any senior official he deems appropriate, determines will ensure that imports of a trading partner do not undermine the effectiveness of the action set forth in this proclamation, the Trade Representative is authorized, with the approval of the President and by publication of a notice in the Federal Register , to revise note 41 in the Annex to this proclamation to suspend application of that subdivision, in whole or in part, as appropriate, with respect to imports of such trading partner. If the Trade Representative subsequently determines, in consultation with any senior official he deems appropriate, that such an agreement is not effective, the Trade Representative is authorized, with the approval of the President and by publication of a notice in the Federal Register , to revise note 41 to terminate any previous suspension of the action with respect to imports of such trading partner. (9) The modifications to the HTSUS made by this proclamation, including the Annex to this proclamation, shall be effective with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern time on August 15, 2026, and shall continue in effect as provided in the Annex to this proclamation, unless such actions are earlier expressly reduced, modified, or terminated. (10) No later than 1 year from the termination of the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, the U.S. note and tariff provisions established in the Annex to this proclamation shall be deleted from the HTSUS. (11) The Trade Representative shall determine whether any modifications to the HTSUS are necessary or appropriate to effectuate or implement this proclamation or any actions taken pursuant to this proclamation, and shall make such modifications, if any, through notice in the Federal Register . The Trade Representative may also make any technical or ministerial corrections to the Annex to this proclamation. (12) To the extent consistent with applicable law, the Trade Representative and the Secretary of Homeland Security are directed and authorized to take all actions that are appropriate to implement and effectuate this proclamation and any actions contemplated by this proclamation—including through amendment of regulations or through notices in the Federal Register and by adopting rules, regulations, or guidance—and to employ all powers granted to the President, including by sections 201, 203, and 204 of the Trade Act and section 302(c) of the USMCA Implementation Act ( 19 U.S.C. 4552(c) ), as may be appropriate to implement and effectuate this proclamation and any actions contemplated by this proclamation, including to make any technical or ministerial corrections to the Annex to this proclamation. The head of each executive department and agency (agency) is authorized to and shall take all appropriate measures within the agency's authority to implement this proclamation. The head of each agency may, consistent with applicable law, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code , redelegate the authority to take such appropriate measures within the agency. (13) Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with the action taken in this proclamation is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency. (14) If any provision of this proclamation or the application of any provision of this proclamation to any individual or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other individual or circumstance shall not be affected. ( printed page 50651) IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifty-first. ( printed page 50652) ( printed page 50653) ( printed page 50654) ( printed page 50655) ( printed page 50656) Billing code 3395-F4-P [ FR Doc. 2026-15975 Filed 8-4-26; 11:15 am] Billing code 7020-02-C