The United States will this week replace its temporary 10 percent global tariff with a new set of country-specific duties targeting around 60 trading partners, as the 150-day emergency levy expires on Friday. The shift, confirmed by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, ensures that American importers face no interruption in tariff coverage while the administration rebuilds its trade agenda after a Supreme Court ruling in February invalidated the original legal basis for the levies.

The new duties rest on investigations conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 into the use of forced labour in export supply chains. Under the proposed structure, imports from Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Taiwan and the United Kingdom would face a 10 percent tariff, while goods from China, India, Japan and more than 40 other economies would be hit with a 12.5 percent rate. Greer told CNBC that the action would cover the vast majority of US trade, arguing that most other countries either lack laws prohibiting forced-labour goods or fail to enforce them.

Viewed from Brussels, the tariffs are considered unjustified, and the EU has previously signalled it would contest such measures. In Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada was examining all options after Washington separately announced a 50 percent tariff on many Canadian products, invoking the rarely used Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Mexico, meanwhile, is hosting US officials for a joint review of the USMCA trade pact, with Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard stating that preserving tariff advantages remains the priority. Argentina, a major exporter of crude oil, gold, beef and wine to the US, is monitoring the list closely, though its inclusion has not been confirmed.

The forced-labour tariffs are only one front in a broader offensive. Washington has already imposed a 25 percent duty on selected Brazilian goods and launched probes into excess industrial capacity in 16 economies. With US midterm elections approaching in November, some White House advisers have cautioned against economic shocks that could further fuel voter anxiety over the cost of living. The immediate milestone is the Friday deadline, when the temporary 10 percent levy lapses and the new tariff regime is expected to take effect, setting the stage for potential retaliation or accelerated negotiations.