Key Summary

• A global survey is open to gather industry input on PFAS use and alternatives in electronics.
• Survey results will inform global policy and advocacy, with all responses kept confidential and analyzed only in aggregate.
• The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released updated PFAS documentation ahead of upcoming committee discussions.
• Industry participation is crucial to provide current technical and socio-economic data for RAC and SEAC evaluations.
• Stakeholders are encouraged to share what policymakers should understand about PFAS in electronics.

Have your say in our global PFAS usage and alternatives for electronics survey to better inform global policy and advocacy work on behalf of the industry that we serve. The survey should take 10 minutes to complete and includes a combination of multiple choice and open-end questions. All responses will remain confidential and anonymous and will be analyzed only in aggregate.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has just published an updated PFAS Restriction Background Document and Scientific Evaluation Status. Your contribution to our 2025 survey will inform upcoming technical and socio-economic discussions on the use of PFAS in electronics with ECHA’s committees (RAC and SEAC) with up-to-date data. Make your voice heard. 

What would you like policy makers to know when making decisions about PFAS in electronics? Tell us!

Key Summary

• New U.S. tariffs on EU goods, copper foil, semiconductors, and select imports are reshaping global electronics supply chains.
• Europe prioritizes stability over escalation, accepting tariffs to avoid a broader trade conflict.
• Mexico anticipates cost pressures, export disruptions, and GDP impacts while seeking exemptions and negotiating broader agreements.
• U.S. manufacturers face immediate cost increases, potential redesigns, and operational inefficiencies as customers shift ordering behavior.
• China’s tech exports have weakened under rising tariffs, prompting pressure on profits but encouraging long-term supply-chain diversification.
 

Recent tariff announcements — spanning country-specific measures to copper foil and semiconductors — are reshaping markets and impacting the electronics industry. Global Electronics Association leaders share perspectives from their regions on what these changes mean.

Europe: 
Sanjay Huprikar, Chief Global Officer

In late July, the United States and the European Union struck a wide-ranging trade deal, which imposed a 15% import tariff on most EU goods. While very few Europeans are enthusiastic about the agreement, the general sentiment from most politicians and business leaders is that evading an all-out transatlantic trade war and achieving predictability and stability in the trade relationship was important in continuing a long-term dialogue on eventually dismantling barriers.

Mexico: 
Lorena Villanueva, Director

Sentiment across the electronics and related industries is tense, with companies bracing for cost pressures and supply-chain disruptions from new U.S. tariffs on copper, semiconductors, and non-USMCA goods. President Claudia Sheinbaum and Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard have adopted a steady and strategic posture—calling the measures “unfair,” emphasizing Mexico’s right to retaliatory actions, and pursuing negotiations for exemptions and a broader “global agreement” on trade, security, and migration. In the short term, executives expect inflation, export disruptions, and slower investment—possibly triggering a recession—with Moody’s warning that tariffs of this magnitude could sharply reduce GDP growth. 

From my recent tours and alliance meetings in Guanajuato, Querétaro, Chihuahua, and Jalisco, members are voicing both resilience and concern: large OEMs are accelerating supplier diversification, while smaller manufacturers—especially in wire harness, PCB assembly, and metal-mechanic segments—fear margin erosion from tariffs and a strong peso. Many are seeking timely guidance from the Global Electronics Association to adapt production lines and protect export competitiveness over the next 6–12 months.

The coming days—especially after planned bilateral meetings and announcements—will be critical in shaping both sentiment and strategic responses.

United States: 
Joe Schneider, Vice President, U.S. & Canada

In the short term, companies face immediate cost pressures, supply chain instability, and interruptions in customer demand, with steel tariffs impacting customers’ equipment sales and, in turn, reducing demand for manufactured electronic products. Long-term expectations include continued volatility, potential forced redesigns to avoid constrained supply chains, and shifts in investment. Tariffs have created operational inefficiencies, prompting customers to adjust order timing to avoid overstocking, a lesson from pandemic-era inventory surpluses. Significant tariffs introduced with short notice could drive overbuying, further tightening component availability and forcing redesigns or alternate sourcing, both of which increase costs.

Strategically, companies are carrying more finished goods in collaboration with customers, exploring AI tools to anticipate supply chain changes and inform risk orders, and limiting hiring due to customer uncertainty while maintaining strong ties with temp agencies for flexibility. Currently, investments are made only when critical to current or prospective customers.

Learn more: Copper Tariffs and the Hidden Costs to U.S. Electronics Manufacturing

China: 
Sydney Xiao, President, East Asia

Sino–US trade falls 20.8% in Q2; Tech exports face tariff pressure.Customs data show that China’s trade with the United States moved from year-on-year growth in Q1 2025 to a 20.8% decline in Q2. Electronic and high-tech products were among the hardest hit, following recent U.S. tariff increases on semiconductors and copper foil. While companies may face short-term order and profit pressures, the situation could also encourage technology upgrades and supply-chain diversification over time.

To learn more about global electronics trade, read our trade flow study, Interconnected: Global Electronics Trade in an Age of Disruption