US to launch tariff refund system
The United States will launch a tariff refund system on April 20 after the Supreme Court curtailed presidential authority for sweeping tariffs under IEEPA. At the same time, a PwC‑cited survey reported by Fortune finds most CEOs expect higher import taxes to persist beyond the current administration. ( )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will open a new tariff refund system on April 20 after the Supreme Court ruled that the president cannot use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose broad tariffs. (cbp.gov; supremecourt.gov) The agency said the new process will run through the Automated Commercial Environment, its trade portal, using a tool called Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries to handle valid refund requests. Customs and Border Protection said the system is being built for duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act when refunds are authorized by court order or other law. (cbp.gov) The Supreme Court’s decision came on February 20, 2026, in *Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump*, a case that asked whether the 1977 emergency-powers law lets a president levy tariffs. The court said the statute does not authorize tariffs, cutting off one of the administration’s main legal justifications for the April 2025 import taxes. (supremecourt.gov) After that ruling, importers went to the Court of International Trade seeking refunds, and the court began overseeing the government’s refund plans. A Reuters report carried by U.S. News said Customs and Border Protection was weighing ways to process a subset of entries tied to $2.9 billion in tariffs that would otherwise require manual work. (money.usnews.com; cbp.gov) Trade and logistics outlets say the first phase goes live at 8 a.m. Eastern on April 20, with importers filing claims electronically through the portal. Supply Chain Dive reported Customs and Border Protection estimated the broader refund effort could cover about $127 billion in tariffs. (supplychaindive.com; cbp.gov) The refund launch arrives as many companies are planning as if higher import taxes will outlast this White House. Fortune reported that a PwC survey of 633 U.S. executives found 86% now treat tariffs as a permanent planning assumption. (fortune.com; finance.yahoo.com) PwC’s broader 2026 Global CEO Survey, based on 4,454 chief executives in 95 countries and territories, found tariff risk is now part of the operating picture for many companies. In a related PwC release, one in five chief executives said their company is highly or extremely exposed to a significant financial loss from tariffs over the next 12 months. (pwc.com; pwc.rs) The administration has defended the emergency tariffs even after the court loss. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on February 20 that the ruling affected “one element” of the administration’s trade agenda and argued the president’s use of the emergency law had been “necessary and appropriate.” (ustr.gov) For importers, the next date is now April 20, when the government starts turning a court defeat into a claims process. For many executives, the larger shift is already in place: tariffs are being budgeted as a recurring cost, not a temporary shock. (cbp.gov; fortune.com)
