The United States has introduced fresh tariffs on 60 trading partners after a temporary global levy, put in place following a Supreme Court ruling against the Trump administration in February, expired. These new duties, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, cover the vast majority of American imports and target major economic partners, including the UK, China, the European Union, Canada, Japan and India, over claims they have failed to adequately tackle forced labour in their supply chains. The move marks the latest escalation in the global trade war that reignited after President Donald Trump returned to office last year.
Earlier this year, the US Supreme Court ruled that many tariffs imposed globally under emergency powers had been illegally enacted. In response, the White House proposed new duties last month of between 10% and 12.5% on imports from dozens of countries over forced labour concerns. On Thursday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, acting under Trump’s direction, confirmed those duties would now take effect. “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,” Greer said in a statement. He invoked Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, the legal provision governing US enforcement against trade practices that burden or restrict American commerce. Earlier in the week, the administration had also used a separate law, Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, to impose 50% tariffs on Canadian products.
The Office of the US Trade Representative confirmed the new tariffs applied to America’s top 60 trading partners, covering 99.4% of total US imports. Officials explained the duties were being imposed on countries “for their failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.” According to the office, President Trump has made banning forced labour imports a “critical” component of reciprocal trade agreements. So far, ten trading partners have agreed to implement such bans as part of these agreements, while others have introduced bans independently in response to ongoing US investigations. Countries that have committed to adopting and enforcing forced labour bans face the lower 10% tariff rate, while those that haven’t face the steeper 12.5% rate. Greer added that he felt “encouraged by the trading partners who have moved quickly to adopt forced labour import prohibitions” and looked forward to ensuring effective enforcement going forward.
Trade policy expert Deborah Elms of the Hinrich Foundation told the BBC that these new levies demonstrate the Trump administration’s determination to continue its tariff strategy, adding that it’s unlikely affected countries will be able to prove they have sufficient measures in place to prevent forced labour imports. Wendy Cutler of the Asia Society Policy Institute noted that the tariffs will likely raise costs for both businesses and consumers, though the impact may be softened somewhat due to the number of exempted goods. She predicted that most trading partners would be disappointed by the new levies and would likely respond by seeking to reduce their dependence on the US market through deals with other nations.
In the UK, William Bain, head of the British Chambers of Commerce, told BBC’s Today programme that Britain has lost its comparative advantage against the European Union because of the new measures. He explained that the EU benefits from an all-inclusive 10% tariff deal, while the UK faces a 10% universal tariff stacked on top of any duties already imposed on individual goods. “So there will be some concerns in the business community this morning about what the UK needs to do to get the same treatment the European Union has got here,” Bain said. David Henig, director of UK trade policy at the European Centre for International Political Economy, echoed this concern, telling Today, “We have slightly moved backwards, but this is President Trump so anything could change tomorrow or the day after. I don’t think too many businesses will be changing their plans based on that.”
Responding to the announcement, the UK government said domestic firms would face no change to their existing tariff rate. A government spokesperson stated, “We take forced labour very seriously to ensure that in global supply chains UK businesses are not complicit.” Other nations reacted with sharper criticism. Brazil’s government described the new 12.5% rate it now faces as “unjustified,” while Japan said on Friday that it regretted the tariffs. Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell called the levies “completely unjustified.” China, meanwhile, reiterated its long-standing opposition to unilateral tariffs and firmly denied allegations of forced labour within its borders. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated, “There is no so-called forced labour in China, and we oppose using this as an excuse for political manipulation.” However, multiple international human rights organisations have documented evidence of forced labour practices in China, particularly affecting Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region.
These latest tariffs form part of Trump’s broader, long-standing tariff agenda, which he has consistently defended as a means of protecting American workers and strengthening the US economy. In April 2025, Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50% on global trading partners as part of what he called “Liberation Day,” aiming to correct what he viewed as unfair treatment of the United States in international trade. However, in February, the US Supreme Court struck down those tariffs, ruling that the president had exceeded his constitutional authority, a decision that triggered tens of billions of dollars in refunds to affected businesses. Since then, the White House has pursued alternative legal routes to impose import duties, including a sweeping 10% levy introduced as a temporary measure that expired on Friday.
Washington has also imposed separate tariffs on countries such as Brazil and Canada in recent months, while its ongoing tariff dispute with China remains temporarily paused. Trump has additionally used tariffs as leverage to pressure countries like Mexico on issues unrelated to trade. Looking ahead, the administration may introduce further tariffs, as it is currently investigating 16 countries, together accounting for the vast majority of US imports, over allegations of manufacturing overcapacity.
How do you think these new tariffs will affect global trade relationships in the months ahead?
