The US has imposed new tariffs on 60 trading partners as a temporary global levy brought in after February’s Supreme Court ruling struck down a host of duties expires, the BBC reports.
The duties, ranging from 10% to 12.5% and accounting for the vast majority of American imports, target key economic partners over claims they have failed to properly tackle forced labour – including the UK, China, the European Union, Canada, Japan and India.
They mark the latest escalation in the global trade war reignited by US President Donald Trump when he returned to office last year.
The US Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that many of the tariffs imposed globally under emergency powers were illegally enacted.
Last month, the White House proposed 10%-12.5% duties on imports from dozens of countries over concerns they were not doing enough to tackle forced labour.
On Thursday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, acting under Trump’s direction, said those duties would now take effect.
“Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere,” his statement said.
Greer invoked Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which governs US trade enforcement of practices that burden or restrict American commerce.