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North Macedonia pledges to remove customs duties on all U.S. industrial and agricultural imports

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North Macedonia removes customs duties on all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods (i.e., changes its tariff schedule and implements those eliminations in practice).

Source summary
The United States and the Republic of North Macedonia announced a framework for a bilateral trade agreement aiming to expand market access for exporters and deepen transatlantic ties. Key provisions include North Macedonia eliminating customs duties on U.S. industrial and agricultural goods, the U.S. keeping reciprocal tariffs at 15% with some products designated for a zero percent rate, cooperation on non-tariff barriers, supply-chain and national security measures, and commitments on environmental protections, intellectual property, labor, digital trade, and services. Both countries intend to finalize, sign, and complete domestic procedures to bring the Agreement into force.
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4 months, 16 days
Next scheduled update: Jun 30, 2026
4 months, 16 days

Timeline

  1. Scheduled follow-up · Dec 31, 2026
  2. Scheduled follow-up · Aug 01, 2026
  3. Scheduled follow-up · Jun 30, 2026
  4. Completion due · Jun 30, 2026
  5. Update · Feb 13, 2026, 05:42 PMin_progress
    Restated claim: North Macedonia will eliminate customs duties for all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia. Progress evidence: On February 12, 2026, the White House released a joint statement announcing a Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade, which includes North Macedonia’s commitment to eliminate customs duties for U.S. exports within the framework. U.S. trade agencies and press outlets subsequently corroborated the framework terms and described ongoing negotiations toward a final agreement. Current status: The elimination is framed as a commitment within a framework that must be finalized in a formal trade agreement and enacted through domestic procedures before taking effect. No completion date is provided, and implementation depends on signing and entry into force of the definitive Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. Key milestones and dates: February 12, 2026 marks the public framing of the commitment; final signature and domestic ratification remain prerequisites for tariff eliminations to be applied. Regional and U.S. sources emphasize that the framework sets the path for elimination, not immediate unilateral implementation. Source reliability: The primary source is the White House release, supplemented by official USTR fact sheets and corroborating reporting from reputable outlets; together they provide a consistent, official account of the framework and its conditional implementation.
  6. Update · Feb 13, 2026, 03:26 PMcomplete
    The claim stated that North Macedonia would eliminate customs duties on all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia. North Macedonia eliminated all import duties on U.S. goods on July 1, 2025, according to U.S. government trade guidance and country reports. The February 12, 2026 White House joint statement describes a framework for reciprocal trade and notes potential future tariff modifications, but the base tariff elimination had already been implemented in 2025. Independent confirmation comes from Trade.gov’s country commercial guide for North Macedonia and a U.S. press briefing/fact sheet on the North Macedonia framework (Feb. 2026). Media reporting in 2025 also indicated North Macedonia planned to move to zero tariffs for U.S. goods as part of broader negotiations (AP News, 2025). Overall, the core completion condition—elimination of tariffs on U.S. industrial and agricultural goods—was achieved in 2025, with the 2026 framework addressing future adjustments rather than retroactive changes to the completed elimination.
  7. Update · Feb 13, 2026, 02:20 PMcomplete
    Claim restatement: North Macedonia will eliminate customs duties for all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia, under a bilateral framework for reciprocal trade. Evidence of progress: Public U.S. government sources indicate North Macedonia did remove all import duties on U.S. goods, with the Trade Administration noting elimination of duties on U.S. industrial and agricultural products as of July 1, 2025 (Trade.gov). The White House joint statement (Feb. 12, 2026) reiterates the framework and specifies a path toward zero reciprocal tariffs for qualifying items, reinforcing that the framework aims to sustain duty-free access for U.S. exports. USTR’s February 2026 fact sheet also describes the framework and its tariff–related terms (USTR). Status of completion: The removal of tariffs on U.S. goods by North Macedonia is publicly reported as completed for the specified categories, fulfilling the core promise of eliminating duties for U.S. industrial and agricultural exports. The February 2026 framework then formalizes ongoing negotiations and commitments, indicating the arrangement is in force and being operationalized rather than merely announced. Dates and milestones: July 1, 2025 is identified as the date North Macedonia eliminated all import duties on U.S. goods (Trade.gov). The February 12, 2026 White House joint statement and the February 2026 USTR fact sheet outline the continuing framework and related commitments, including non-tariff barriers and digital trade protections (White House; USTR). Source reliability: The key claims are supported by high-quality, official U.S. government sources (White House; Trade.gov; USTR), which are primary documents for this policy area. These sources collectively confirm both the tariff elimination and the existence of a formal reciprocal-trade framework. Follow-up note: If needed, a future check around mid-2026 could confirm continued implementation of zero-tariff access for qualifying U.S. goods and any further tariff-modification steps under the framework (follow-up date: 2026-08-01).
  8. Update · Feb 13, 2026, 12:41 PMcomplete
    The claim states that North Macedonia will eliminate customs duties for all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia. Public statements and official documents indicate the two countries moved toward this goal via a bilateral framework, with terms calling for broad market access for U.S. exports. Subsequent formal materials clarified the framework and the goal of duty elimination as a concrete target within the negotiating process. Evidence of progress includes official announcements in February 2026 and accompanying U.S. government materials describing the duty-elimination target as part of the reciprocal-trade framework.
  9. Update · Feb 13, 2026, 10:13 AMin_progress
    What the claim states: The White House joint statement asserts that North Macedonia will eliminate customs duties for all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia. This is presented as a core term of a framework for a reciprocal trade agreement. The claim is anchored in the stated framework rather than a completed treaty. Evidence of progress: The February 12, 2026 White House joint statement officially outlines the framework and commits to tariff elimination for U.S. industrial and agricultural goods as a key term. Media coverage and the USTR fact sheet corroborate that a formal agreement is to be negotiated under this framework, with steps to address non-tariff barriers and digital trade. Prior reporting noted North Macedonia’s earlier moves toward reducing or removing tariffs on U.S. goods as part of efforts to reach reciprocal access. Current status and milestones: As of 2026-02-12, a framework agreement has been agreed, and North Macedonia has committed to eliminating tariffs on U.S. industrial and agricultural goods within the negotiated pact. There is no indication that the actual tariff eliminations are in force yet, as the arrangement remains subject to final negotiations and formalization of the agreement. Public sources emphasize the framework’s intent rather than a completed, in-force tariff elimination. Reliability and context: Primary government documents (White House joint statement) provide the official position and terms. Additional sources (USTR fact sheet, AP reporting on prior tariff-planning steps) help corroborate the trajectory but do not demonstrate final implementation. The reporting reflects a negotiation phase with stated milestones rather than a completed, in-force tariff elimination. Follow-up: To confirm completion, monitor official milestones for signature and entry into force of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and any accompanying tariff eliminations. A useful check-in date would be 2026-12-31 to assess whether North Macedonia has implemented the tariff eliminations in its tariff schedule and whether the reciprocal zero-tariff commitments are binding in practice.
  10. Update · Feb 13, 2026, 07:17 AMin_progress
    Restated claim: North Macedonia will eliminate customs duties for all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia. Progress evidence: A White House joint statement (Feb 12, 2026) announces a Framework for a Reciprocal Trade Agreement with North Macedonia, explicitly stating that North Macedonia will eliminate customs duties for all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia. A companion USTR fact sheet reiterates that the framework aims to provide expanded access and remove tariff barriers, with negotiations to finalize and implement the agreement. Current status: The framework agreement is described as a path to finalizing a comprehensive Reciprocal Trade Agreement. While the framework and initial terms promise tariff elimination for U.S. goods, there is no public indication that North Macedonia has yet implemented such eliminations in law or tariff schedules. The completion condition—North Macedonia removing duties “on all U.S. industrial and agricultural goods”—has not been evidenced as completed as of 2026-02-12; implementation would follow the formal agreement and domestic ratification processes. Dates and milestones: 1) February 12, 2026 – formal joint statement outlining terms, including duty elimination for U.S. goods. 2) Ongoing negotiations to finalize the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and prepare for signature and entry into force. 3) Post-signature, North Macedonia would need to amend tariff schedules and enact measures to remove duties for qualifying U.S. imports. Source reliability note: The primary claims come from official U.S. government communications (White House briefings/statements; USTR fact sheet), which are primary sources for treaty negotiations. These sources are complemented by contemporaneous coverage from reputable outlets when available, but the central assertions here hinge on the official framework and its stated terms. The status assessment reflects that the framework exists and promises tariff elimination, but actual completion awaits final agreement, domestic actions, and formal entry into force.
  11. Original article · Feb 12, 2026
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