The Trump administration is set to impose new tariffs on products from 60 countries, including Bangladesh, alleging that these countries have failed to strictly enforce laws banning forced labor.
The decision, which takes effect on Friday, introduces tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5%, depending on the country. The White House announced the move immediately after the expiration of a temporary global tariff measure.
According to a notice published in the U.S. Federal Register on Thursday, the new tariff policy will affect 99.4% of total U.S. imports.
Under the final decision, imports from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Canada, Malaysia, and Mexico will face a 10% tariff. Meanwhile, products from the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Switzerland will be subject to a combined tariff of either 10% or 12.5%, adjusted alongside previously established duties. China and the remaining 38 countries will be subject to a 12.5% tariff.
In February, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration's "reciprocal tariffs" of 10% to 50%, which had been imposed under national emergency powers. In response, the administration introduced a temporary 10% tariff for 150 days, which expires at 12:01 a.m. Friday. The new tariff regime will take effect at the same time. However, goods already in transit will remain exempt from the new tariffs until July 28. To address the Supreme Court's ruling, the administration has now imposed the new tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. Legal experts believe that measures taken under Section 301 are much more difficult to challenge in court.
Although the tariffs apply broadly, several categories of products have been exempted. These include oil and gas, fertilizers, and certain food items. In addition, products covered under Section 232—such as automobiles, steel, aluminum, and copper, which are considered important for national security—as well as goods that comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), will remain exempt from the new duties.
Several countries reacted with immediate criticism. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said there is no reasonable basis for imposing the tariffs because Norway already has clear laws prohibiting forced labor. Australia and Brazil also described the measure as unfair and called for its withdrawal. Canada, which had only recently been targeted by new U.S. tariffs, responded more cautiously. Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Canada would continue constructive discussions with the United States in the coming weeks in pursuit of mutual interests. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, warned that the tariffs would increase prices and harm businesses.
In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, "The United States has had laws prohibiting forced labor for nearly a century, and we enforce them vigorously. It is long past time for our trading partners to do the same."
A senior Trump administration official described the measure as an effort to prevent human rights abuses and improve the welfare of workers worldwide. The official said the policy is not merely a replacement for the expiring temporary tariff but was adopted in response to bipartisan calls from lawmakers to eliminate forced labor from global supply chains.
Trade lawyer Ryan Majerus said, "Once tariffs are imposed under Section 301, there is considerable flexibility to adjust them. This is essentially a strong strategy to preserve the 10% baseline tariff, and the administration believes it will withstand legal challenges."
Although the tariffs have been justified on the grounds of combating forced labor, analysts see them as part of the United States' broader long-term trade strategy. In particular, the U.S. has long accused China of forcing Uyghurs to work in detention camps in the Xinjiang region—allegations that Beijing has consistently denied. The new tariffs are widely viewed as part of the Trump administration's broader plan to gradually raise tariffs on imports from China by 20% by November 2025. Previously, tariffs on most Chinese goods, excluding industrial products, had been reduced to 10%.