(WASHINGTON, USA) – The United States government has introduced new tariffs on goods from 60 countries, covering the great majority of American imports, after deciding that those nations have not taken enough action to tackle forced labour.
The new duties, which range from 10 percent to 12.5 percent, target key economic partners of the United States, including the United Kingdom, China, the European Union, Canada, Japan and India. The tariffs took effect on Friday, following the expiry of a temporary 10 percent duty on foreign goods that had been put in place earlier this year.
The BBC reported the development, which was carried by The Daily Handle. Last month the White House proposed the 10 percent to 12.5 percent tariff band on imports from dozens of countries over concerns that they were not doing enough to fight the use of forced labour.
On Thursday, 23 July, the United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, confirmed that the tariffs were now coming into force.
“These actions will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and a trade practice that distorts competition, in order to improve the wellbeing of workers around the world,” his statement said.
According to the Federal Register, the United States set an import duty of 12.5 percent on goods from Russia.
BBC has previously reported that the US Supreme Court struck down most of the tariffs introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump, on the grounds that they had relied on emergency powers legislation.