US Launches 60-Economy Forced Labor Trade Probes

The United States Trade Representative's office, under the Donald Trump administration, launched Section 301 unfair trade practices investigations into 60 economies on March 12, 2026. These probes focus on alleged failures to address forced labor in imports and come after the United States — Supreme Court of the United States struck down Donald Trump's global tariffs as illegal on February 20. The investigations aim to determine if foreign governments have taken sufficient steps to prohibit goods produced with forced labor and how these practices affect United States workers and businesses. The list of economies includes major trade partners and allies such as China, India, European Union, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Taiwan. This action is part of the administration's effort to rebuild tariff pressure, with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stating that the probes could lead to new tariffs on countries like India, China, European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico by summer. The United States has already implemented measures against goods from China's Xinjiang region under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, signed by former President Joe Biden. The administration hopes to conclude these investigations before Donald Trump's temporary tariffs, imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, expire in July.