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New US tariffs cause uncertainty – the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) offers advice, webinars and an information portal
The new US tariffs on European goods are causing uncertainty for many companies in the region. Hesse is particularly affected: Hessian companies export more goods to the United States than to any other country. The Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Darmstadt) is responding with an expanded range of information and advisory services, designed to provide guidance, especially for medium-sized export companies.
According to the State Statistical Office, Hesse exported goods worth €9.3 billion to the USA in 2024 – representing 11.7 percent of total exports. Chemical and pharmaceutical products (€4.2 billion) and machinery (€1.0 billion) were among the most important export goods. Since April 9, 2025, flat tariffs of 20 percent have applied to many European products; additional tariffs on cars, car parts, and metal goods were introduced earlier.
The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) offers extensive assistance to exporting companies
The Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Darmstadt) and the Foreign Trade Centre (AWZ) of the Hessian Chambers of Industry and Commerce offer member companies a wide range of information services:
- 🟢 Hesse's foreign trade portal with current analyses and practical tips: www.weltweit-erfolgreich.de/hessen
- 🟢 Webinar “USA: North American Business in the Shadow of Tariffs – Update from Washington” on April 24, 3–4 p.m. Free of charge, with Stephanie Harwood (BDI/DIHK Washington)
- 🟢 US Market Entry Bootcamp of the German-Chicago Chamber of Commerce (AHK Chicago): A two-day intensive event for companies looking to enter the US market. Companies from Hesse pay only 50 percent of the participation fee code "IHKHESSEN".
For questions regarding customs duties, trade documents, or rules of origin, please contact Axel Scheer , Team Leader for Foreign Trade at the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce:
📞 +49 6151 871-1252
✉️ axel.scheer@darmstadt.ihk.de
“Our member companies are currently seeking guidance. We want to help them make informed decisions and minimize risks through sound knowledge,” said Axel Scheer, .
