The United States has threatened new tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, across 60 different economies, with the European Union being among the countries affected. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer justified the measure on Wednesday, citing what he described as insufficient efforts by these nations to combat forced labor.
Trade partners slated to be impacted include the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan. The US trade authority asserted that all the named economies have failed to pass and enforce legislation that bans the import of goods manufactured wholly or partially through forced labor.
Greer stated that importing goods made with forced labor from these countries creates an unfair competitive situation for American workers. However, the tariffs will not take effect immediately. Any formal objections must be filed by July 6th, at which point a hearing is scheduled for July 7th.
For many observers, this announcement is not surprising. This is because back in February-after the US Supreme Court declared the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs illegal-President Donald Trump had already announced his intention to replace the lost tariffs using an entirely new legal basis.
