USTR Proposes New Section 301 Tariffs On 60 Economies

On Monday and Tuesday this week, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) proposed significant new tariffs on imports from 60 U.S. trading partners: a 12.5% tariff on 45 economies, a 10% tariff on 14 economies, and a 37.5% tariff on one economy (Brazil). USTR proposed the bulk of these tariffs as a remedy to address the trade practices of the 60 economies related to the importation of goods produced with forced labor, which USTR is investigating under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. In addition, USTR proposed a 37.5% tariff for Brazil, combining a 12.5% tariff related to forced labor and a 25% tariff as part of a separate Section 301 investigation targeting a wide range of Brazil’s trade practices. All these proposed tariffs are subject to significant exceptions.