Global businesses and consumers face another wave of rising costs as the United States introduces new double-digit tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners. Starting Friday, import duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% will target major economic allies—including the UK, the European Union, Japan, Canada, China, and India—covering over 99% of all goods entering the US market.
The White House justified the measures by claiming the targeted nations have failed to adequately restrict or enforce prohibitions on goods produced through forced labor. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated that the action aims to address both human rights abuses and unfair trade practices that distort global commerce. To enact the tariffs, the administration invoked Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 just as temporary 10% levies expired. Those temporary taxes had been implemented after the US Supreme Court struck down earlier emergency trade measures in February. Under the updated structure, countries that agree to strictly enforce forced-labor import bans face a 10% tariff, while those without such agreements face 12.5%.
The move triggered immediate pushback from international trading partners and economic analysts. Brazil criticized the levies as arbitrary and unjustified, pledging to enact countermeasures under its reciprocity law while seeking alternative export destinations, while leaders in Japan and Australia also voiced strong disapproval. Trade experts warn that meeting the stringent US criteria will prove difficult for most nations, likely driving up everyday prices for consumers and accelerating global efforts to lessen trade reliance on the US.