WASHINGTON, July 24, 2026 — The United States has introduced new tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on selected imports from 60 trading partners, replacing a temporary global tariff that expired Friday.
The Trump administration says the duties are intended to address what it considers inadequate enforcement of prohibitions on goods produced with forced labour. Several governments have rejected that justification or questioned whether their enforcement systems were fairly assessed.
A 10% rate applies to goods from countries including Canada, Mexico, India, Britain, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia and Argentina. A 12.5% rate applies to products from several other economies, including Vietnam. The treatment of imports from China, the European Union, Japan and South Korea depends partly on existing tariff rates and previously negotiated arrangements.
The duties took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on July 24. Qualifying goods already in transit were granted a brief exemption lasting until early July 28.
The policy excludes several important categories, including certain energy products, fertilizers, foods, aircraft components and critical minerals. Goods already covered by sector-specific tariffs—such as some steel, aluminum, copper and automotive products—are also treated separately. Products meeting the requirements of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement remain exempt.
The administration introduced the measures under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. This followed a February Supreme Court decision invalidating an earlier tariff programme imposed under emergency-powers legislation.
Why it matters: The measures cover a substantial portion of U.S. imports and could affect consumer prices, supply chains and trade negotiations, although extensive exemptions will limit their impact in some industries.
