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The US has imposed new tariffs on 60 countries over the issue of forced labour

The US has imposed new tariffs on 60 countries over the issue of forced labour

24 July 2026, 19:00

The US has imposed new tariffs on 60 countries over the issue of forced labour — USA

The US Government has imposed new tariffs on 60 countries, which account for the vast majority of US imports, on the grounds that, according to Washington’s assessment, they have not taken sufficient measures to combat forced labour.

This is according to the BBC.

The new tariffs, ranging from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent, are aimed at key US economic partners, including the UK, China, the European Union, Canada, Japan and India. They came into force on Friday, following the expiry of the temporary 10 per cent tariff on foreign goods introduced earlier this year.

Last month, the White House proposed imposing tariffs of 10–12.5 per cent on imports from dozens of countries on the grounds that these nations were not doing enough to combat the use of forced labour.

On Thursday 23 July, US Trade Representative Jamison Greer announced that these tariffs were coming into force. He said that these measures were designed to address what constitutes both a human rights violation and a trade practice that distorts competition. The aim is to improve the welfare of workers worldwide.

As previously reported, the US Senate may vote on new sanctions against Russia as early as next week.

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