ALEXANDRIA, Va.—On April 3, 2018, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published a proposed list of imported products that it intends to subject to an additional 25 percent tariff if those products originate from China. According to The Vision Council, many members’ products—including eyeglasses, optical frames, lenses, plano sunglasses, reading glasses, and parts of these medical devices, are not on the proposed list. Certain optical manufacturing machines, ophthalmic instruments and electro-diagnostic equipment, however, are included on the proposed list.

This includes lens meters, tonometers, ophthalmometers, slit lamp microscopes, retinal cameras and optical lens grinding and polishing machinery. Other products may also be implicated. Members of The Vision Council who import these Chinese-origin devices should immediately determine whether their products are covered by the proposed tariff and consider your options, the organization said in a notice to all members.

The list is subject to a public comment process and a hearing. All hearing appearance requests must be filed by April 23, 2018, and all written comments must be submitted by May 11, 2018.

Any questions about this issue and details about all the product categories on the USTR proposed duties list can be directed to Rick Van Arnam, The Vision Council regulatory counsel, at rvanarnam@barnesrichardson.com.