US, new tariffs of 10-12.5% for 60 countries - The measure is justified by the non-compliance with international labor standards
The United States will impose tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, on imports of goods from 60 economies around the world, starting today. The White House has invoked Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced.
The new trade measures are scheduled to take effect just as temporary 10% tariffs around the world expire at 12:01 p.m. on Friday. President Donald Trump's administration imposed the temporary levies after the Supreme Court struck down his broader tariff initiatives in February.
By using Section 301, the administration is leveraging a more permanent legal mechanism that allows Trump to impose import tariffs and other sanctions against countries found to be engaging in trade practices deemed "unjustified, unreasonable, or discriminatory," the Commerce Department announced, justifying the latest tariffs as a measure against non-compliance with international labor standards.
“The United States has banned the importation of forced labor for nearly a century and enforces it rigorously; it is time for our trading partners to do the same,” United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was quoted as saying. According to the announcement, the top economies that do not comply with international labor standards are: Argentina, Canada, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom and many others.
For some products not exempted from the measure, a variable tariff of 10% to 12.5%, above the Most Favored Nation rate, will be applied to imports from economies such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland. Meanwhile, a 12.5% tariff will be imposed on all other economies subject to the investigation.
The Trump administration also provides for exemptions for certain categories of products, such as those that could cause shortages in the domestic market or disrupt the functioning of the economy. Exceptions will also be made for products that cannot be grown or produced in the United States, in sufficient quantities or at reasonable prices.
In March, the Office of the Trade Representative launched a separate investigation into whether 16 countries, which together account for about 70% of U.S. imports, have overproduced goods, thereby lowering global prices and putting American companies at a competitive disadvantage.
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