The Trump administration has finalized a new round of tariffs on dozens of US trading partners, introducing import duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% as part of an effort to replace sweeping tariffs that were struck down by the US Supreme Court earlier this year.
The new measures, announced Thursday and taking effect Friday, are based on a five-month investigation into whether trading partners have taken sufficient action to eliminate products made with forced labor from their supply chains. The tariffs will replace the temporary 10% global duties imposed earlier this year, which are set to expire.
Under the new system, 17 trading partners, including Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Indonesia, will face a 10% tariff. Another 10 countries that signed trade agreements with the United States committing to address forced labor will receive the same rate.
A higher tariff of 12.5% will apply to 43 countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and several other major US trading partners. Together, the affected economies account for the overwhelming majority of US imports.
“Today’s action is the most sweeping international labor rights action the United States has ever taken — that any country has ever taken,” a senior administration official said. According to the official, the measures are intended to strengthen labor rights enforcement abroad, create fairer competition for American workers and encourage countries to eliminate forced labor from global supply chains.
