New Washington forced labour tariffs replace temporary duties
The EU will face a flat 10% tariff from Friday following the outcome of a US investigation into trade in products made with forced labour, a European Commission spokesperson said.
Washington announced on Thursday evening that it would impose tariffs on dozens of trading partners, including the EU and the UK, following a Section 301 investigation into unfair trading practices. The tariffs range from 10% for countries that have introduced, or are planning to introduce, a forced labour ban, to 12.5% for all others.
Unlike the previous regime, the new tariffs are not stacked on top of existing duties, meaning 10% is now the maximum rate for most goods.
The EU “notes positively the fact that this outcome is in line with the US tariff commitments” agreed under the EU-US Turnberry agreement last year, the spokesperson said, adding that Thursday’s announcement provides momentum to pursue further tariff exemptions and deepen cooperation in areas including economic security, critical raw materials, AI and digital policy.
