US Proposes Tariffs on Pakistan and 59 Economies
News Desk
Islamabad: The United States has proposed a new round of tariffs on imports from 60 economies, including Pakistan and India, citing alleged shortcomings in efforts to prevent goods produced through forced labour from entering international supply chains.
According to a filing by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the proposed duties would range between 10 per cent and 12.5 per cent and are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape its trade policy after several tariffs were struck down by the US Supreme Court earlier this year.
Pakistan is among six economies that US authorities say have failed to effectively enforce bans on imports linked to forced labour. The group also includes Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Ecuador and the European Union.
Meanwhile, 54 other economies, including China, Vietnam, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, were accused of failing to impose and enforce adequate restrictions against forced-labour imports.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the inability of key trading partners to address forced labour concerns undermines fair competition for American workers and businesses.
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“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable,” Greer said in a statement, arguing that such practices place US workers at a competitive disadvantage.
The proposed tariffs follow a series of investigations launched by Washington into major trading partners, examining whether their policies adequately prevent the import of products allegedly manufactured using forced labour and whether those imports negatively affect US commerce.
Despite the planned duties, several products will remain exempt. These include beef, coffee, selected fruits and nuts, as well as certain textile and apparel products.
Goods traded under the North American free trade framework between Canada, Mexico and the United States will also be excluded from the measures.
The USTR has opened a public consultation process, inviting written comments until July 6 before holding hearings and making a final decision on the proposed tariffs.
The initiative forms part of a broader US trade strategy aimed at introducing more durable trade restrictions after earlier tariff measures faced legal challenges. In addition to forced labour investigations, US trade officials are also pursuing inquiries into excess industrial capacity in several economies.
If implemented, the new tariffs could add further strain to global trade relations and affect export-oriented sectors in countries targeted by the proposed measures, including Pakistan.
