The Trump administration has proposed additional tariffs on imports from 60 economies in response to these economies' failure to address trade in goods produced with forced labor.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Trade Representative's office (USTR) suggested imposing extra duties of 10% or 12.5% on imports from these economies. This action is a result of a Section 301 unfair trade practices investigation.
The USTR intends to levy 10% duties on imports from 15 trading partners, such as Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. The other 45 economies under investigation, including China and India, will face additional duties of 12.5%.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, stating, "The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable." He further noted that this scenario puts American workers at a global competitive disadvantage.
The USTR's latest proposal precedes the July 24 expiration of a 10% temporary tariff imposed by the Trump administration on February 20. Interested parties must request to testify and submit testimony summaries by June 22, 2026, with written comments due July 6, ahead of USTR hearings on July 7.
This move comes on the heels of Monday's tariff reduction on certain steel, aluminum, and copper imports by the Trump administration to stimulate U.S. manufacturing. On Tuesday, the USTR also proposed a textile import mechanism that would allow a limited volume of apparel and textile goods to enter the U.S. at reduced tariff rates. However, specific quotas and duty levels were not disclosed.
