Tariff contract and treaty claims - April 2025

POTENTIAL CONTRACT AND TREATY CLAIMS ARISING FROM ‘RECIPROCAL’ TARIFFS

The tariffs announced by the United States of America on 2 April 2025 will lead to significant economic disruption, particularly in the developing world. Sovereign states will respond with urgent diplomacy, attempts at state-to-state dispute resolution (possibly through the WTO, although that is likely to be futile1), and potentially counter tariffs as signalled by China and the European Union.