April 2025 Tariff Updates: Implications for Global IT Logistics, Sourcing, and Procurement

On April 11, 2025, the U.S. government announced new exemptions on select electronics and IT hardware, temporarily shielding them from steep reciprocal tariffs. Just days later, the government introduced a broader tariff regime targeting China, India, Vietnam, and the EU, and delayed its enforcement until July.

For most global procurement teams, the immediate question is simple: How will this affect our supply chain?

This blog post covers the latest tariff updates and offers a way to think about the frequent, turbulent changes already underway, as well as those still to come.

Tariff Exemptions for IT Hardware and Consumer Electronics

On April 2, 2025, the U.S. government introduced a baseline 10% tariff on most imported goods, along with individualized additional duties on certain categories, including IT hardware, through Executive Order 14257.

A few days later, it exempted certain products from these tariffs, with U.S. Customs issuing further clarifications on April 11 through Notice CSMS #64724565. Products not covered by these exemptions remain subject to the original 10% baseline tariff, with goods from China facing significantly higher rates.

Here are the key details you need to know:

• Products affected: Servers, desktop and laptop computers, SSDs, and most networking hardware (switches, routers, firewalls, wireless access points), classified under HTSUS codes like 8471, 8473.30, 8517, and 8523.51.00. Full list available here.

• Exemption: Products under these HTSUS codes are exempt from the reciprocal tariffs imposed by Executive Order 14257.

• Action required: To claim exemptions, importers must report secondary classifications under 9903.01.32, and can request refunds or file protests as needed.

New Tariffs on China, India, Vietnam, and EU Imports Effective July 2025

As part of ongoing trade negotiations, the Trump administration issued Executive Orders on April 2 and April 9, 2025, raising individualized tariffs on goods from over 70 trading partners, including China, India, Vietnam, and the European Union. These measures introduce country-specific ad valorem tariffs ranging from 11% to 50%, in addition to the 10% baseline already in place. 

Although originally announced in April, enforcement of the new tariffs has been delayed by 90 days, pushing the effective date to July 9, 2025. While most countries received a temporary suspension of the new tariffs, China did not. Instead, goods from China are now subject to an individualized 125% tariff rate.

Key Details:

• Products affected: A broad range of goods, with a particular focus on IT hardware.

• Tariff rates: Countries listed in Annex I will face increased duties, including a 20% increase in tariffs on goods from China.

• Dual classification requirement: Imports from China must now be classified under both their standard HTSUS codes and new Chapter 99 codes (e.g., 9903.88.xx) to apply the correct tariffs.

The Shift Toward a New Global Trade Reality

On the surface, the April 2025 tariff changes seem like just another volley in the ongoing trade war: exemptions issued for select IT hardware, followed by a retaliatory cycle that peaked at a staggering 145% on Chinese imports. But beneath the headlines, these moves are forcing a fundamental rethink of the assumptions that global supply chains have relied on for decades.

For years, the United States served as a stable anchor for global logistics, as a low-risk trading partner with trusted legal systems, a strong currency, and predictable customs processes. However, with the latest policy shifts, the U.S. has joined the ranks of countries that may not fulfill their obligations or could unpredictably alter the terms of trade. This creates new risks for global supply chains.

Businesses that once treated the U.S. as a geopolitical safe zone are now asking the same questions they once reserved for higher-risk markets. We see the April 2025 updates alongside the sharp tariff increases announced in March as further signs of a deeper, ongoing shift in global trade dynamics.

This is the reality that procurement officers, logistics managers, and C-suite leaders must adapt to. While the headlines focus on tariffs, the deeper risk is that global supply chains can no longer rely on steady, frictionless trade.

This isn’t a temporary disruption or a customs issue. It’s another wake-up call. While short-term tactics like one-off import exceptions or ad hoc partnerships may have worked in the past, they can’t anchor a sourcing strategy built for the new reality. True resilience requires system-wide preparation, not improvisation. Volatility now calls for systems that are resilient by design, not patched together in response to disruption. As FGX’s CEO, Justin Brown, writes, multinational enterprises can no longer treat regulations as a competitive advantage.

Volatility Is the New Normal, and Sovereignty Is the New Strategy

Most legacy systems were built for smooth sailing. However, the conditions that defined the past three decades of global trade are not returning. Supply chains built on predictability must now operate in a world of shifting alliances, sudden enforcement surges, and systemic shocks. It’s no longer enough to diversify vendors. Companies must design sourcing and logistics systems that can absorb disruption without grinding to a halt.

For teams managing infrastructure, procurement, or logistics, the challenge ahead isn’t just to react. It’s to redesign systems that can perform under pressure. Volatility is here to stay. The question is whether your strategy is built to endure it.