U.S. Brings in Forced Labour Tariffs as Trade Lawyers Warn of Further Escalation

International Trade attorney Patrick Childress was quoted in a Global Trade Review article about the Trump Administration's introduction of new Section 301 tariffs targeting countries with weak enforcement of forced labour import bans. The tariffs apply to more than 60 countries and replace the previous 10 percent Section 122 tariffs with rates of up to 12.5 percent for most trading partners. Mr. Childress explained that the measures are part of the administration's broader effort to reconstruct the tariff framework invalidated by the Supreme Court and could lead to additional duties related to industrial overcapacity. He also noted that obtaining relief may be difficult for trading partners, which would need to adopt specific legal measures and demonstrate sustained enforcement before the tariffs could be removed.

"The forced labour 301 tariffs are not the end of the story. The 10-12.5 percent forced labour-related rates are still lower than the now-defunct International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) rates for most trading partners," he said.

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