Washington replaces temporary tariffs with permanent duties on 99.4% of imports, citing forced labor enforcement failures by trade partners.
The U.S. Trade Representative imposed new global tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies, covering 99.4% of American imports. The duties target countries Washington claims have failed to enforce bans on forced labor, replacing a temporary 10% tariff set to expire July 24.
The move follows a Supreme Court ruling in February that struck down Trump’s emergency-powers tariffs, prompting the administration to invoke Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 for a more durable legal basis. Partners with existing or committed import prohibitions face a 10% tariff, while others incur 12.5%.
Trade partners, including Australia and Brazil, criticized the tariffs as unjustified but indicated a preference for negotiations over retaliation. Australia’s Trade Minister called the measures inconsistent with free trade agreements, while Brazil labeled them arbitrary.