BRUSSELS, 24th July, 2026 (WAM) -- The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), the umbrella organisation for the Antwerp diamond sector, said on Friday it had secured a zero percent US import duty on cut natural diamonds, ending a 10 percent tariff that had been in force for the past six months.
The AWDC said it had previously negotiated a zero tariff with US trade authorities in September 2025 as part of the trade agreement between the European Commission and the United States, noting that the exemption was based on the fact that "no diamonds are mined or cut in the United States, and therefore no local economy needs protection against European imports."
However, in February this year, US President Donald Trump introduced a new general import surcharge of 10 percent.
"The exemption of cut natural diamonds in Europe from these US import tariffs strengthens Antwerp's position as a European cutting centre," said AWDC Chief Executive Karen Rentmeesters, adding that Antwerp diamond sector exported €2.1 billion worth of cut diamonds to the United States in 2024.