China: Tariffs Applied to US Tree Nuts After Trump-Xi Meeting
According to the China Chamber of Commerce of Import & Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce & Animal By-Products (CFNA), following the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in South Korea, China’s tariffs on nut imports from the US have been reduced by 10% compared with the first half of the year. The following tariffs are now applied to US tree nuts entering China:
| Code | Product | Basic tariff (MFN) | Updated tariff on US goods, including MFN rate (as of November 10, 2025) |
| 08013100 | Cashews, in-shell | 5% | – |
| 08013200 | Cashews, shelled | 7% | – |
| 08021100 | Almonds, in-shell | 10% | 35% |
| 08021200 | Almonds, shelled | 10% | 35% |
| 08022100 | Hazelnuts, in-shell | 25% | 50% |
| 08022200 | Hazelnuts, shelled | 10% | 35% |
| 08023100 | Walnuts, in-shell | 25% | 50% |
| 08023200 | Walnuts, shelled | 20% | 45% |
| 08025100 | Pistachios, in-shell | 5% | 30% |
| 08025200 | Pistachios, shelled | 5% | 30% |
| 08026190 | Macadamias, in-shell | 12% | – |
| 08026200 | Macadamias, shelled | 12% | – |
| 08029990 | Pecans, in-shell and shelled | 7% | 32% |
| 20081999 | Roasted nuts (all kinds) | 5% | 15% |
EU-MERCOSUR: Council Backs Regulation Implementing Safeguards for Agricultural Products
On November 19, 2025, without introducing any amendments, the European Council approved the Commission’s proposal on a regulation implementing the bilateral safeguard clause of the EU-MERCOSUR Partnership Agreement and the EU-MERCOSUR interim Trade Agreement for agricultural products. The regulation sets out how the EU can temporarily suspend tariff preferences on agricultural imports from MERCOSUR if these imports harm EU producers. It builds on existing EU safeguard tools but introduces faster procedures and simpler triggers to protect EU farmers.
Once the European Parliament adopts its position, the co-legislators will finalize the work on the safeguard regulation. The regulation will enter into force once adopted by both institutions and published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
USA: Trump Rolls Back Tariffs on Various Tree Nuts
On November 14, 2025, US President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order exempting dozens of food products, including various tree nuts, from some of his most sweeping tariffs. The exemptions apply to tariffs originally implemented in an Executive Order on April 2, 2025, in which Trump created a baseline 10% tariff for all imports into the US, as well as higher country-specific rates for goods from dozens of countries.
The products listed in Annex II of the new Executive Order, which are exempt from the duties imposed by Executive Order 14257, include the following:
| Code | Product |
| 0801.21.00 | Brazil nuts, fresh or dried, in shell |
| 0801.22.00 | Brazil nuts, fresh or dried, shelled |
| 0801.31.00 | Cashew nuts, fresh or dried, in shell |
| 0801.32.00 | Cashew nuts, fresh or dried, shelled |
| 0802.61.00 | Macadamia nuts, in shell |
| 0802.62.00 | Macadamia nuts, shelled |
| 0802.91.10 | Pignolia pine nuts, fresh or dried, in shell |
| 0802.91.90 | Pine nuts (other than Pignolia), fresh or dried, in shell |
| 0802.92.10 | Pignolia pine nuts, fresh or dried, shelled |
| 0802.92.90 | Pine nuts (other than Pignolia), fresh or dried, shelled |
USA: Deal Reached to Lower Tariffs on Swiss Goods
On November 14, 2025, the US reached a deal with Switzerland to lower tariffs on imports of Swiss goods from the steep rate of 39%, implemented via an Executive Order in late July, to “a cumulative reciprocal tariff rate of no higher than 15%,” according to a fact sheet published by the White House. The 15% rate will also apply to goods from neighboring Liechtenstein and is in line with the tariff applied to EU goods. The Swiss economy minister stated that the 15% rate could take effect in early December, according to Reuters.