That’s according to a report from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, excerpts of which were published by Politico.
An investigation by the Office of the Trade Representative recommended imposing duties on goods from 60 countries because of their failure to enact and enforce laws banning goods made with forced labor.
It is noted that this is one of two sweeping trade investigations that the U.S. administration launched in early spring in an attempt to reinstate Trump’s global tariffs, which were struck down by the Supreme Court in February.
“The failure of our most important trading partners to address imports of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable. It creates a situation where American workers are forced to compete globally under unequal conditions. We will no longer tolerate this inequality,” said U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer.
The investigation found that the European Union and five countries – Canada, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan – have failed to effectively enforce existing laws banning forced labor. The report recommends a 10 percent duty be imposed on them.
The same tariff rate is recommended to be applied to nine other countries that have committed to addressing this problem by signing trade agreements with the United States. These include Taiwan, Argentina, and the United Kingdom, which has “imposed partial treatment” to prevent forced labor in its supply chains.
The remaining 44 countries will face a 12.5% tariff rate, including major US trading partners such as Japan and South Korea.
In addition to them, China, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey and others are on the list.
The Republic of Moldova was not included in the list.
