US to impose forced labor tariffs on many trading partners
Deutsche Welle · LC · trust 45/100
The Trump administration has unveiled new tariffs on dozens of US trading partners for what it says is lax enforcement of "forced labor" bans. The new tariffs arrive just as a 10% global duty was set to expire.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HfKa The global tariffs are the latest in a new wave of duties from President Donald Trump [FILE: July 21, 2026] Image: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo/picture alliance Advertisement The United States said Thursday it would slap new tariffs on dozens of countries over allegations of lax enforcement of forced labor bans.
The levies range from 10% to 12.5% and impact major economies like China, India and the European Union .
"The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it's well past time for our trading partners to do the same," said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
"Today's action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere," he added.
The new duties will take effect Friday just as a temporary 10% global tariff expires.
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The move is the latest bid to restore President Donald Trump 's push for sweeping global tariffs after the US Supreme Court struck down his "reciprocal" duties in February.
In response, Trump imposed a temporary 10% tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — a law meant to quell balance of payments crises — for 150 days that expires on Friday.
Trump is now turning to the more durable Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 , which authorizes the president to impose tariffs and other sanctions on countries found to engage in "unjustifiable," "unreasonable," or "discriminatory" trade practices.
The Trump administration is also separately probing 16 economies over alleged excess industrial capacity, which experts warn could lead to further tariffs being imposed.
Brazil, whose exports to the United States will be subject to a 12.5% tariff under the new measure, called the move "completely arbitrary" and "unjustified."
The government warned that it would immediately initiate procedures to trigger countermeasures under its "Reciprocity Law" and take the issue before the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement mechanism.
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