United States proposes new forced‑labour tariffs as EU moves toward US trade pact

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced a proposal to levy an additional 10% tariff on products from 60 trading partners that have taken some steps against forced‑labour imports, and a 12.5% tariff on those that have not. The list includes the European Union, United Kingdom, China and many other nations. Ambassador Jamieson Greer said, "It is unacceptable that our most important trading partners do not address the import of goods made with forced labor."

In parallel, the European Parliament’s trade committee approved a legislative commitment to implement the EU‑U.S. tariff agreement that was negotiated last summer at Turnberry. The vote was 31‑6‑3, and a final plenary vote is scheduled for 16 June. The deal removes tariffs on most industrial goods and some agricultural products, but adds safeguards and a sunset clause that ends in December 2029. It also allows the EU to suspend concessions if the United States does not lower its tariffs on EU steel and aluminium before the end of 2026.