The United States on Friday imposed new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners, including the European Union, China and several major U.S. trading partners, after determining they had not sufficiently enforced prohibitions on goods produced with forced labor. The new duties took effect immediately as a temporary 10% tariff applied under emergency authority expired. Administration officials said the measures were adopted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 following investigations by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative into foreign labor enforcement practices. The tariffs apply to nearly all U.S. imports but include exemptions for selected products, including certain energy, agricultural and industrial goods deemed critical to the U.S. economy.

The latest tariffs follow a February Supreme Court decision that struck down President Donald Trump's earlier "reciprocal" tariffs, ruling that the administration had exceeded its authority under national emergency powers. After that decision, the White House imposed a temporary across-the-board 10% tariff under a different provision of trade law while seeking an alternative legal basis for maintaining broad import duties. The administration said the new Section 301 tariffs are intended to address what it describes as an unfair trade advantage for countries that do not effectively prevent imports made with forced labor, arguing that stronger enforcement would promote fairer competition alongside existing U.S. import restrictions.