The United States has concluded a new investigation and decided to take action against Brazil and 60 other countries that, according to the American government, do not adequately prohibit or monitor the entry of products made with forced labor
The measure was announced this Tuesday, June 2nd, by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
In a 98-page report, the agency details the results of the analysis based on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The conclusion is that these failures harm American workers and distort global competition.
In response, the US proposes applying an additional 12.5% “”tariff on all products imported from these countries.
For nations that already have some prohibition or commitments established in agreements, the extra rate may be 10%.
There are also special rules for textile products.
Ambassador Jamieson Greer, representing the USTR, stated that it is unacceptable for trading partners to allow the entry of goods produced with forced labor.
According to him, this forces American workers to compete under unequal conditions.
“We will no longer tolerate this disparity,” he said.
The investigation began in March after the USTR identified that 54 of the 60 countries, including Brazil, China, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, and Japan, do not implement or enforce effective bans.
Six others-such as Canada, Mexico, and the European Union-also do not conduct adequate enforcement.
During the process, nearly 60 witnesses were heard and approximately 500 comments were received.
Regarding Brazil, the report is clear: the country does not effectively impose or enforce a ban on the import of products made with forced labor.
Although the Brazilian government cites international and free trade agreements, the Americans consider that these rules do not legally prevent the entry of these goods into the domestic market.
This proposed tariff comes shortly after another measure announced a day earlier, which suggests a 25% extra tax on Brazilian products due to other practices considered unfair.
Interested parties can still participate in hearings and submit comments until July, before a final decision is made.
The American initiative reinforces the commitment to combating forced labor and protecting fair trade, but is expected to impact trade relations with the affected countries.
Published in 06/03/2026 12h51
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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