U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has indicated that additional tariff measures will be announced soon.
In an interview with CNBC on July 21, Greer stated, "I expect some actions to come out soon" when asked if new tariffs would be announced shortly.
He added, "At this point, I cannot disclose a specific timeline," noting that he has a responsibility to explain the details to Congress and other stakeholders before making them public. However, he reiterated, "I expect actions to be forthcoming soon."
The new tariffs are likely to be based on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows for tariffs in response to unfair or discriminatory policies and practices by foreign governments. Last month, the USTR proposed imposing additional tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from 60 economic zones due to forced labor issues.
Greer asserted, "The U.S. has laws prohibiting the trade of goods produced with forced labor, but most other countries lack such laws or do not enforce them properly." He explained that the Section 301 tariffs would encompass approximately 99% of U.S. trade.
The investigation includes countries such as South Korea, China, the European Union, Japan, India, Mexico, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Singapore. The USTR is also conducting a separate Section 301 investigation addressing issues of overproduction in manufacturing.
This action coincides with the expiration of a 10% global tariff imposed by President Trump under Section 122 of the Trade Act, which will end at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on July 24. The global tariff was temporarily introduced shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that reciprocal tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were invalid.
The Trump administration is restructuring the tariff system by utilizing existing trade law provisions that are more likely to be upheld in court. Previously, a 25% tariff was imposed on most imports from Brazil under Section 301, and a 50% additional tariff was announced for certain Canadian products under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
Tiffany Smith, Vice President of Global Trade Policy at the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), stated, "It will be much more difficult for the next administration to revoke tariffs imposed for addressing forced labor, and the Section 301 tariffs are likely to last much longer."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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