United Kingdom suspends customs duties on 89 products: a targeted measure to support the economy and contain prices

On 9 April 2025, the British Government announced a significant tariff measure: the temporary suspension of customs duties on 89 tariff lines. This measure covers a wide range of products, ranging from daily food to materials used in strategic sectors such as construction, packaging or renewable energy.

In detail, the list includes:

• Imported food products such as pasta, fruit juice, coconut oil, pine gables, spices, or agave syrup;

• Raw materials or industrial components, such as certain types of plywood, plastics and resins;

• Plant or horticultural products, such as plant bulbs.

The suspension is in effect until 30 July 2027, with a potential revision clause. The UK Government estimates that this measure will generate £17 million in annual savings for importing companies.

The displayed objective is threefold:

1. Reduce the cost of essential goods for consumers, in a context of persistent inflationary pressure;

2. Reduce the burden on businesses, in particular those heavily dependent on imports of specific raw materials or ingredients;

3. Stimulating economic activity and improving the overall competitiveness of the UK market, using the tariff lever that has become more flexible since the EU's exit.

This decision is part of a broader logic of dynamic customs control, allowing the United Kingdom to adjust its entry barriers in a targeted way as part of its independent post-Brexit trade policy.