The United States announced a new round of import tariffs affecting 60 trading partners, replacing a temporary global duty that expires this week and marking the latest step in the Trump administration’s effort to reinforce its trade agenda.
The new measures, which come into force on Friday, introduce tariff rates ranging from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent on imports from dozens of economies, including China, India, Japan, South Korea and the European Union.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, "The measures were designed to encourage stronger action against goods produced through forced labour.”
“The United States has enforced restrictions on imports linked to forced labour for decades, and it is time for our trading partners to introduce similar protections,” Greer said while announcing the new policy.
The latest tariffs replace a temporary per cent import duty introduced after the US Supreme Court blocked several of President Donald Trump’s earlier tariff measures in February. That emergency measure was authorised for 150 days and will expire on Friday.
According to US officials, the replacement tariffs are based on a lengthy government investigation launched earlier this year and are expected to be more resilient against future legal challenges.
Under the new framework, countries that have already introduced bans on imports linked to forced labour or have pledged to adopt similar measures will face a lower 10 per cent tariff. This group includes Canada, the European Union, India and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, China, Japan, South Korea and several other economies will be subject to the higher 12.5 per cent rate after the US concluded that they did not meet the same standard.
Some trading partners, including the European Union, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland, will receive limited exemptions or adjustments reflecting existing trade agreements with the United States.
The announcement prompted criticism from several governments.
Japan expressed disappointment with the decision, arguing that the higher tariff was imposed solely because the country does not currently prohibit imports of products made using forced labour.
Australia also criticised the measures, with Trade Minister Don Farrell describing the tariffs as unjustified and inconsistent with the country’s free trade agreement with the United States. Trade Minister Don Farrell described the tariffs as unjustified and said they were inconsistent with the country’s free trade agreement with the United States.
The new tariffs will not apply to all imports. Products already covered by separate sector-specific tariffs, including steel and aluminium, will remain under their existing arrangements. Certain energy products, fertilisers and goods traded under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) are also exempt from the new duties.
The US is simultaneously examining 16 additional economies over concerns relating to excess industrial capacity. Those investigations could result in further tariffs in the coming months, potentially with different rates depending on the findings.
Trade analysts say the latest policy allows the Trump administration to maintain pressure on trading partners while reinforcing existing trade agreements.
Greta Peisch, a former general counsel at the Office of the US Trade Representative and now a partner at law firm Wiley Rein, said, "The administration had spent considerable time preparing the legal basis for the new tariffs, making them less vulnerable to court challenges.”
She suggested the measures were likely to remain in place throughout President Trump’s current term if they withstand judicial scrutiny.
Josh Lipsky of the Atlantic Council said, "The latest move reflects a more protectionist direction for the world’s largest economy while also increasing government revenue through higher import duties.”
The tariff announcement follows several recent trade actions by the US. Earlier this week, the United States imposed a 25 per cent tariff on a range of Brazilian products, citing what it described as unfair trade practices.
President Trump also announced new 50 per cent tariffs on many Canadian goods, accusing Ottawa of maintaining discriminatory policies affecting American exports, including alcohol, dairy products and automobiles.
Although several countries have recently reached trade understandings with the US, analysts believe uncertainty remains over the future of US trade policy.
The European Union has said it expects the United States to honour the commitments contained in its latest joint trade agreement, while many trading partners continue to monitor whether further tariff measures will follow.
