New tariffs by the Trump administration took effect just after midnight ET Friday on dozens of countries over alleged forced-labor violations, according to a notice in the Federal Register.
The duties, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, will primarily substitute President Donald Trump’s temporary 10% global tariffs.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced in a Thursday afternoon fact sheet that the upcoming tariffs will impact 60 trade partners, accounting for 99.4% of U.S. trade.
Speaking to reporters, a senior administration official called it the “most sweeping international labor rights action the United States has ever taken.”
The official clarified that the new tariffs will not add to the existing import taxes on steel and aluminum, known as “Section 232” duties, which Trump imposed last year citing national security reasons. “We are implementing this at this moment really to avoid complexity,” they stated.
In early June, the Trump administration proposed the upcoming tariffs after determining that the targeted countries did not adequately ban forced-labor practices in their trade with the U.S.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
