The proposal was announced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which released the findings of a Section 301 investigation into unfair trade practices under US trade law.
Washington argues that a number of trading partners have not taken sufficient action to curb the import and export of goods produced using forced labour, creating what it describes as an uneven playing field for American workers and manufacturers.
“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable. This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
EU, Canada and the UK Included in the Proposal
Under the USTR proposal, additional 10% duties could be imposed on imports from Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guatemala and El Salvador.
An additional 12.5% tariff is proposed for the remaining 45 countries included in the investigation.
Certain Agricultural Products Exempted
The United States is also proposing several exemptions from the new tariff regime. Additional duties would not apply to selected categories of goods, including:
- Energy products;
- Rare earth elements;
- Certain metals;
- Beef;
- Coffee;
- Selected fruits and vegetables;
- Pharmaceutical products;
- Organic chemicals; and
- Aircraft parts.
In addition, the USTR announced plans for a separate mechanism covering textiles and apparel, allowing certain import volumes to enter the US market under reduced tariff rates. Details regarding quotas and tariff levels have not yet been disclosed.
Part of a Broader US Trade Strategy
The initiative is the latest in a series of trade investigations launched by the Trump administration following a February 2026 US Supreme Court ruling that limited the use of emergency powers for imposing tariffs.
Earlier this week, the USTR also proposed a 25% tariff on a range of Brazilian goods following a Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s digital trade practices and tariff policies.
Furthermore, the agency is expected to release the findings of another major investigation into excess industrial capacity among 16 US trading partners, including China.
Public Consultation Underway
The Office of the US Trade Representative will accept public comments on the proposed tariffs until July 6, with a public hearing scheduled for July 7.
The proposed measures could significantly reshape US trade relations with dozens of countries by increasing scrutiny of global supply chains and efforts to combat forced labour. At the same time, the new tariffs may create additional challenges for international trade and certain sectors of the global agri-food market.
PigUA.info, based on materials from The Pig Site