European Polished Diamonds Again Escape U.S. Import Tariffs

Antwerp's diamond sector has once again secured a crucial exemption from U.S. import tariffs, maintaining a 0 percent duty on natural polished diamonds. The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), the industry's umbrella organization, achieved this outcome after intensive consultations and lobbying efforts.

“

The reasoning behind the exemption was that no diamonds are mined or cut in the United States. Therefore, no local economy needs to be protected against European imports.

For the past six months, a 10 percent import tariff had been in effect. The AWDC had previously negotiated a zero-tariff agreement in September 2025, based on the rationale that the United States lacks a domestic diamond mining or cutting industry, thus eliminating the need to protect local economies from European imports.

However, former U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a new general 10 percent import surcharge in February, following a ruling that his earlier tariff measures were unlawful. The existing 10 percent tariff was set to expire, prompting the U.S. administration to seek new avenues for imposing duties, particularly under Section 301 of the U.S. trade law. This section allows Washington to impose tariffs on countries failing to adequately prevent products resulting from forced labor.

“

The diamond industry has extensive mechanisms for traceability and origin control.

The AWDC argued that this reasoning does not apply to diamonds, citing the industry's robust traceability and origin verification mechanisms. Despite this, U.S. authorities have now followed the Section 301 rationale, leading to the renewed exemption for natural diamonds polished in Europe. This development is a significant boost for Antwerp's diamond industry, which saw $2.1 billion in polished diamond exports to the U.S. in 2024. CEO Karen Rentmeesters stated that the exemption strengthens Antwerp's position as Europe's premier diamond cutting center.

“

That the natural diamonds cut in Europe are once again exempted from these import tariffs strengthens the position of Antwerp as a European cutting center.