US announces new tariffs over forced labour concerns

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The US has announced new tariffs on dozens of countries of 10-12.5% over concerns they are not doing enough to tackle forced labour.

It is the second time President Donald Trump’s administration has announced new import taxes since the US Supreme Court struck down many of his previous duties in February.

The 60 trading partners listed – including the UK, the EU, Canada, and Japan – account for almost all of the goods sold to the US.

The US Trade Department said these countries will face the tariffs because of their failure to address the importing of goods made with forced labour. Critics say Trump’s tariff policy has caused price rises in the US and elsewhere.

The US government’s stance is that trading with countries which buy things made with forced labour is unfair on the US.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said it “creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field”.

The tariff decision comes after the US began an investigation in March into the 60 trading partners, which comprise 99.4% of US imports, over the forced labour concerns.

Following its investigation, the US Trade Department said on Tuesday 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”.

The Trump administration has not announced new tariffs since February when the Supreme Court ruled the so-called ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs imposed by Trump on a slew of countries around the world in April 2025 were unlawful.

Trump called the ruling “terrible” and said the justices who rejected his trade policy were “fools”.

Immediately after the ruling, Trump announced a 10% temporary global tariff but later said it would be 15%. However the duty came in at 10%, and it has not been increased.

That measure is due to expire in July, unless extended by Congress.

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