By Gary Roskin
Roskin Gem News Report
The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has just announced a major development in its tariff-reduction campaign: the United States and Thailand have reached a Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade.
This might sound bureaucratic, but it’s actually a breakthrough.
Remember, for any tariff exemption or waiver to take hold, each source country must negotiate—or update—a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States that incorporates the Annex III language. Only then does the gemstone waiver become legally effective for that country’s exports. That’s why AGTA has been working closely with the embassies of source countries, including Thailand and Vietnam.
As we noted in our last Roskin Gem News Report feature, “How AGTA Is Singlehandedly Saving the International Colored Gemstone Industry,” these reciprocal trade agreements have become a top AGTA priority. And now, we’re seeing that effort pay off—first with the EU, and now, hopefully, with Thailand.
What This Means Right Now
No, tariffs on loose colored gemstones from Thailand haven’t dropped to zero—yet. But AGTA has already filed an official petition with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) asking that gemstones from Thailand be included under Annex III of Executive Order 14346, part of the new framework for Potential Tariff Adjustments for Aligned Partners (PTAAPs).
If approved, that designation would set a zero-percent reciprocal import tariff for qualifying gems entering the U.S. from Thailand—essentially restoring duty-free trade between the two countries for loose stones.
What Happens Next
The process is expected to follow the model used for the recent U.S.–EU Reciprocal Trade Agreement. Once finalized, the details will be published in the Federal Register along with implementation timelines.
AGTA’s Washington team isn’t stopping there. With both Thailand and Vietnam advancing reciprocal trade frameworks, similar agreements with Sri Lanka and other key producing nations are already on the radar.
A Positive Move Forward for the International Gem Trade
AGTA has extended its thanks to the President, the USTR, and the Departments of Commerce and Treasury for supporting American industries that depend on minerals not mined domestically.
For now, the message is clear: the groundwork has been laid, and the next phase of the fight moves to the individual source countries whose exports feed the U.S. market.
The tariffs that once threatened to choke the colored-gemstone and cultured-pearl trade are finally being reversed—one country at a time—and AGTA is leading that charge.
We’ll continue to follow Tariff updates and report as soon as we can.
In the meantime, you can read all of the past press releases from AGTA, here.
