Cargo ships full of shipping containers are seen at the port of Oakland, California, US, March 6, 2025. [Photo/Agencies]
The US proposal to impose new tariffs on dozens of trading partners over alleged forced labor concerns has drawn criticism from experts in Canada, Europe and the United States, who argue the move is aimed at preserving Washington's broader tariff agenda after earlier measures faced legal setbacks.
The Office of the US Trade Representative said earlier this month that, following the findings of an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act, 60 trading partners — including Canada and the European Union — could face new tariffs.
"The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable," Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said.
Ronald Stagg, a history professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, said the new policy "smells of desperation".
