The US customs agency is readying a system within 45 days to process refunds on US President Donald Trump's tariffs that were struck down as illegal, a customs official said in a court filing on Friday.

The declaration by Customs and Border Protection official Brandon Lord came just before government lawyers met with a federal trade judge to try to hammer out a broad settlement process, as Reuters reported exclusively on Friday, for returning $166 billion in tariff payments to around 330,000 importers.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Courtstruck down as unconstitutional the tariffs that were a central part of Trump's economic policy. The court did not say how the collected tariffs should be refunded, leaving small importers worried the process would be expensive and time-consuming.

"This new process will require minimal submission from importers," Lord said in his declaration, filed with the U.S. Court of International Trade as government lawyers began meeting with Judge Richard Eaton from the court.