US Imposes New Tariffs on 60 Trade Partners Including Israel Over Forced Labor Concerns

The United States government has introduced new tariffs on imports from 60 major trade partners, including Israel, China, the European Union, the UK, Canada, Japan, and India. These countries collectively account for 99.4% of US imports. The tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, were announced by President Donald Trump overnight between Thursday and Friday, ahead of the expiration of previous tariffs. The US administration justified the move by accusing these countries of insufficient efforts to prevent the import of goods produced with forced labor.

Countries that have committed to banning imports linked to forced labor will face a 10% tariff, while others will be charged 12.5%. This new tariff regime escalates the Trump administration's trade policies since his return to office last year. The move follows a February Supreme Court ruling that invalidated earlier tariffs imposed under emergency powers, deeming them unlawful. The expiration of the previous temporary 10% tariff triggered the implementation of this new framework focused on forced labor concerns.

Earlier in the week, the US also imposed a separate 50% tariff on Canadian products under a different legal provision, further intensifying trade tensions. The new tariffs reflect the administration's ongoing efforts to find a legal basis for trade restrictions amid judicial setbacks and to address human rights issues in global supply chains.