The White House has said it will move to clarify what it described as “misinformation” surrounding potential U.S. import tariffs on certain gold bullion bars, after uncertainty over the issue led some industry players to suspend deliveries to the United States.

Confusion arose following a ruling published on Friday by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which suggested that the most widely traded gold bars in the American futures market could fall under country-specific import tariffs. Such a move could disrupt global bullion supply chains.

According to the CBP’s notice, cast gold bars from Switzerland, the world’s largest bullion refining and transit hub, with weights of 1 kilogram or 100 troy ounces, should be classified under the HS customs code 7108.13.5500.

However, only another category, 7108.12.10, is currently listed as exempt from tariffs under U.S. trade measures introduced in April. The classification gap means Swiss-origin kilobars could be subject to a 39% import duty.

The Swiss Association of Precious Metals Manufacturers and Traders (ASFCMP) said the ruling applies to any country shipping these bars to the United States, not just Switzerland.

“The United States is a longstanding market for us, so this is a blow for the industry and for Switzerland,” ASFCMP president Christoph Wild told Reuters, warning that such tariffs would halt exports to the U.S. altogether.

Independent analyst Ross Norman said that “likely imposing 39% tariffs on Swiss kilobars is akin to pouring sand into an otherwise well-functioning engine,” while noting that the situation could still be the result of a classification error.

The uncertainty has already prompted operational changes. A senior official at a major Swiss gold refinery confirmed that shipments to the U.S. have stopped in response to the CBP ruling. A gold logistics specialist reported similar pauses from other suppliers outside Switzerland.

Market reaction was muted but noticeable. U.S. gold futures pared earlier gains after the White House comment, ending up 0.1% at $3,457 per ounce. This narrowed the premium over spot gold, which remained steady at $3,398.

The White House said it intends to issue an executive order “in the near future” to clarify the situation on gold bars and other specialty products. Industry players are hoping the move will reverse the tariff implications and restore supply flows.