Photo Credit: Getty Images
The United States has unveiled new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on 60 trading partners, targeting nations it accuses of failing to adequately prohibit goods manufactured through forced labour.
The announcement marks the second round of import taxes introduced by the Trump administration since the Supreme Court invalidated a sweeping set of earlier duties back in February.
The 60 countries named, spanning the UK, the EU, Canada, India, and Japan, collectively represent nearly all goods flowing into the United States.
Washington's position is that purchasing products tainted by forced labour creates an uneven commercial environment, placing American workers at a structural disadvantage against global competitors.
A March investigation led by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer examined whether these trading partners had taken sufficient steps to bar forced labour goods from their supply chains. The inquiry found that 54 nations had failed to establish or enforce any legal prohibition on importing goods produced through forced labour.
The remaining six, including Canada, the EU, Mexico, and Pakistan, were found to have laws on the books but inadequate enforcement mechanisms.
Nations including the UK, Canada, the EU, Mexico, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Taiwan face the lower 10% rate. China, India, and 43 other countries will bear the steeper 12.5% burden.
The UK responded by pointing to its ongoing efforts to eradicate forced labour from both domestic operations and international supply chains.
China flatly rejected the premise, with a foreign ministry spokesperson denying that forced labour exists within its borders and condemning the tariffs as politically motivated.
The European Commission called the measures unjustified, reaffirming its commitment to the bilateral trade agreement reached with Washington last year.
An Indian analyst described the move as a pressure tactic by Washington, arguing it stretches the legal boundaries of Section 301 trade law and should remain separate from active bilateral negotiations. The tariffs have not yet taken effect and require further procedural steps before enforcement.
A temporary 10% global tariff introduced in February, widely expected to rise to 15%, is currently set to expire in July.
