अवलोकन
The U.S. Trade Representative announced on 12 March 2026 the initiation of Section 301 investigations against 60 economies for alleged failure to prevent बाध्य श्रम. The probe is part of President Donald Trump's broader effort to restore tariff pressure after the Supreme Court struck down his earlier global tariffs.
मुख्य विकास
- Investigations cover 60 countries, including allies such as Australia, Canada, the EU, Britain, Israel, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and rivals China and Russia.
- The USTR aims to assess whether each government has taken "sufficient steps" to ban imports of goods made with बाध्य श्रम and the impact on U.S. workers.
- President Trump imposed a 10 % tariff for 150 days under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, effective until July 2026.
- Simultaneously, the administration launched investigations into excess industrial capacity in 16 major trading partners.
- The U.S. has already used the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to restrict solar panels and other products from China’s Xinjiang region.
महत्वपूर्ण तथ्य
• The list of 60 economies includes both traditional partners and strategic competitors, signalling that the U.S. is applying the forced‑labour standard universally.
• Taiwan, also on the list, pledged to improve labour rights and cooperate with the U.S. on human‑rights issues.
• The USTR has indicated a desire to finalize the investigations and any remedial measures before the temporary