US imposes tariffs on 60 countries in sweeping forced labour crackdown
Trump administration levies new tariffs on 60 trading partners under Section 301, affecting 99.4% of US imports from targeted economies in effort to pressure governments to strengthen bans on goods produced with forced labour.
US imposes tariffs on 60 countries in sweeping forced labour crackdown
The Trump administration has imposed new tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners in a sweeping trade action aimed at pressuring governments to strengthen bans on goods produced with forced labour, marking what officials characterise as the most comprehensive international labour rights enforcement action ever undertaken.
The measures, announced under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, affect 99.4% of US imports from the targeted economies. Section 301 grants the US Trade Representative authority to investigate and respond to unfair foreign trade practices through tariff-based retaliation when countries violate trade agreements or burden American commerce.
The action follows a Supreme Court ruling in February 2026 that struck down the administration's broader tariff regime imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, forcing the shift to Section 301 as the legal foundation for these new measures.
Tariff structure and country classifications
Under the new framework, 17 trading partners will face a 10% tariff after adopting, or committing to adopt, stronger measures prohibiting imports linked to forced labour. The administration conducted extensive consultations before finalising the action, including two rounds of public hearings, more than 2,100 public comments during the investigation phase, and over 1,600 additional written comments on the proposed responsive measures.
Most of the remaining economies—including the Philippines, China, Australia, Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam—will be subject to a 12.5% tariff on covered imports. The administration stated the tariff rates reflect each country's efforts to prevent goods produced with forced labour from entering global supply chains.
Several major US allies negotiated special arrangements. The European Union, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan secured deals capping their overall US tariff burden at either 10% or 12.5%, depending on the product's existing Most Favoured Nation tariff rate—the standard rate WTO members apply to imports from other members absent preferential agreements.
Scale and exemptions
With US goods imports valued at approximately $3.4 trillion in 2025, these tariffs affecting 99.4% of imports from 60 countries will impact hundreds of billions of dollars in trade flows. Despite the sweeping scope, several categories remain exempt, including oil, natural gas, fertilisers, selected agricultural products, informational materials, and goods already covered under separate US trade programmes.
The action builds on existing American enforcement efforts. US Customs and Border Protection detained approximately 42,000 shipments worth nearly $4 billion under the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act between June 2022 and February 2026, demonstrating established enforcement mechanisms already in place.
Global forced labour context
According to the International Labor Organization, approximately 27-28 million people globally are subjected to forced labour, generating an estimated $236 billion in illegal annual profits, with over half of victims located in Asia and the Pacific regions. The United States has prohibited imports made with forced labour for nearly a century under the Tariff Act of 1930, making it one of few countries with such long-standing restrictions.
The White House stated the action is intended to encourage trading partners to strengthen enforcement against forced labour rather than serve as blanket protectionism. Ten trading partners have already agreed to enact forced labour import bans as part of Agreements on Reciprocal Trade negotiations, and other countries have enacted such bans in recent weeks in response to these investigations.
Countries that improve compliance could eventually qualify for lower tariff rates or other trade adjustments. The latest tariffs mark another significant expansion of the administration's trade agenda, which has increasingly linked market access to labour standards, supply-chain security and broader geopolitical objectives.
Complete list of affected countries
The 60 trading partners subject to the new tariffs are: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, European Union, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.
The move is expected to prompt renewed negotiations between Washington and several affected economies as countries weigh the economic impact against the costs of implementing stronger forced labour enforcement mechanisms.
