US Announces New Tariffs on Multiple Countries Citing Forced Labour Concerns
The United States has declared new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from dozens of countries, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, India, and Japan, due to concerns that these nations are not adequately addressing forced labour in their supply chains.
This marks the second instance under President Donald Trump's administration of introducing new import taxes since the US Supreme Court invalidated many of his previous tariffs in February.
The 60 trading partners affected by the tariffs collectively represent nearly all goods imported into the US market.
Rationale Behind the Tariffs
The US Trade Department stated that the tariffs are being applied because these countries have failed to sufficiently prevent the importation of goods produced wholly or partially with forced labour. Critics of the tariff policy argue that it has contributed to increased prices both within the United States and internationally.
The US government maintains that engaging in trade with countries that import goods made with forced labour creates an unfair competitive environment for American workers.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said it "creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field".
Investigation and Findings
The tariff decision follows an investigation initiated in March into the 60 trading partners, which account for 99.4% of US imports, focusing on forced labour concerns.
On Tuesday, the US Trade Department announced that all 60 countries had "failed both to impose a legal prohibition on the importation of goods produced wholly or in part with forced labor (forced labor goods) and to effectively enforce such a prohibition".
Legal and Political Context
The Trump administration had not announced new tariffs since February, when the Supreme Court ruled that the so-called 'Liberation Day' tariffs imposed by Trump on numerous countries worldwide in April 2025 were unlawful.
President Trump described the ruling as "terrible" and referred to the justices who invalidated his trade policy as "fools".
Following the ruling, Trump announced a temporary global tariff of 10%, which he later stated would be increased to 15%. However, the tariff remained at 10% and has not been raised since. Trump and other officials have indicated plans to increase it to 15%.
The current tariff measure is set to expire in July unless extended by Congress.
