Disclaimer: Many of the developments discussed below are fluid and may change rapidly. The information is relevant and accurate as of 12:00pm EDT on July 24, 2026.
Trump Administration Imposes New Section 301 Tariffs Tied to Forced Labor Enforcement
The Trump administration announced new Section 301 tariffs on imports from 60 countries,
including China, Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. The new duties, which replace the
administration’s expiring 10% global tariff, will impose tariffs between 10%-12.5%, depending
on a country’s actions to address forced labor concerns.
The new tariffs stem from investigations launched by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on
March 12, 2026, under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. On June 2, 2026, USTR determined that all 60 economies maintained acts, policies, or practices that were unreasonable and burdened or restricted U.S. commerce by failing to prevent the importation of goods made with forced labor adequately.
The new tariffs cover 99.4% of U.S. imports. Still, the Trump administration also announced exemptions for selected products, including oil, natural gas, fertilizer, food products, certain raw materials, and other goods deemed critical to U.S. supply chains.
Takeaway: The Trump administration is replacing its expiring global tariff with a new Section 301 framework that imposes 10%–12.5% tariffs on imports from 60 economies based on their enforcement of import prohibitions against forced labor, while exempting key products such as energy, food, and certain critical inputs.
