New U.S. Tariffs Have Just Been Imposed – How are Office Printers and Copier/MFPs Being Affected?

They’re back – new U.S. tariffs that is. In this discussion we look at what they are, how they affect the office printer and copier/MFP industry, and if they’re here to stay.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the new tariffs on July 23rd, and they took effect today. They’re destined to impose a penalty on countries that the United States alleges uses forced labor to produce goods. The two-tiered system covers roughly 99.4 percent of all U.S. imports and consists of:

• 10 Percent Tariff Tier: Applied to countries that have passed or committed to statutes banning forced labor but are deemed to have enforcement shortfalls. This includes Canada, Mexico, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom. [
• 12.5 Percent Tariff Tier: Applied to countries lacking sufficient laws or failing to prevent forced labor goods from entering their markets. This tier includes China, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil, and the European Union. 

The tariffs will be paid by companies or persons importing goods into the United States.

Purpose and Legal Strategy

The new tariffs come in the wake of a February 2026 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down President Trump’s 10 to 50 percent tariffs imposed under the 1974 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. After that decision, the Trump administration imposed temporary 10 percent tariffs that ended yesterday. 

The new tariffs are being imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. This law allows the president to counter unreasonable or discriminatory foreign trade practices – in this case, the alleged use of forced labor. According to some sources, because Section 301 has historically survived court challenges, these new tariffs can remain in place indefinitely.

How Are Printers and Copiers Affected?

Office printers and copier/MFPs are covered by the new tariffs, as they do not fall under the general consumer electronics exemptions that protect devices like smartphones and laptops. In addition:

• Printers and MFPs imported from China face the higher 12.5 percent rate. 
• Office printer and MFP companies that moved production to Southeast Asia to avoid previous rounds of trade disputes will still be hit. This includes hardware built in Malaysia (frequently used by Konica Minolta) and Thailand (frequently used by Ricoh, Canon, and Sharp). 

Will the New Tariffs Survive?

It’s highly likely the new tariffs will be legally challenged. Our own opinion is that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the tariffs if challenged, since in its February 2026 ruling, the court ruled that the U.S. Constitution mandates that the U.S. Congress, not the U.S. president, has the authority to impose tariffs.

There’s also the Major Questions Doctrine. The Supreme Court has increasingly ruled that executive agencies cannot make decisions of vast “economic and political significance” without explicit instruction from Congress. 

Challengers will also argue that the administration’s forced labor narrative is a “pretext” or legal placeholder designed to circumvent the February Supreme Court defeat. 

Under these circumstances, again, it’s likely that these tariffs will be overturned. But it will of course take some time for the legal process to take its course.