The United States has proposed fresh tariffs on 60 economies accused of failing to take adequate action against the importation of goods produced through forced labour, escalating trade tensions as the Trump administration seeks to reshape its tariff policy.
According to a filing released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Tuesday, the proposed duties would range between 10 and 12.5 per cent and will be subject to a public consultation process before any final decision is taken.
The move follows investigations launched earlier this year into several major trading partners, including China, the European Union and Japan, over concerns about their enforcement of restrictions on goods linked to forced labour.
The USTR said 54 economies failed to establish and effectively enforce prohibitions on the import of products made with forced labour.
Those listed include China, Vietnam, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Another six economies Canada, Ecuador, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan were found to have insufficiently enforced existing restrictions.
“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable,” USTR Jamieson Greer said in a statement.
“This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” he added.
The proposed measures include several exemptions. Products such as beef, coffee, selected fruits and nuts would not be affected. Goods traded under the North American free trade agreement that comply with its requirements would also be exempt, alongside certain textile and apparel products.
The USTR has invited written submissions from stakeholders until July 6 and is expected to conduct public hearings before reaching a final decision.
The latest tariff proposal comes after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a broad range of President Donald Trump’s tariffs earlier this year, prompting the administration to pursue alternative legal avenues for imposing longer-term trade measures.
In addition to the forced labour investigations, Washington has also launched separate probes into global industrial overcapacity, signalling that further trade actions could follow.
Analysts say the proposed tariffs could have significant implications for global supply chains and international trade relations if implemented.
