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US ties tariffs to forced-labor enforcement across 60 economies

US ties tariffs to forced-labor enforcement across 60 economies

Rule Changes

Tariffs of 10% and 12.5% took effect July 24 across 60 economies; two lawsuits are pending at the Court of International Trade.

July 29th, 2026: Trade lawyers: Section 301 harder to challenge than IEEPA

Overview

Updated Aug 1

At 12:01 a.m. on July 24, 2026, the US imposed new import duties of 10% or 12.5% on goods from 60 economies covering nearly all major US trading partners. The tariffs, signed by Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on July 23, came after five months of investigation, 2,100-plus public comments, and three days of hearings with over 100 witnesses.

Two lawsuits were filed against the tariffs on July 24. The Liberty Justice Center brought a class action on behalf of Burlap & Barrel; Learning Resources and HMTX Industries filed separately, saying the administration had run the same tariff system through three legal authorities. Trade lawyers say Section 301 is harder to beat than the voided IEEPA tariffs—Congress explicitly authorized duties in the statute.

Why it matters

These tariffs attach a price to every nation's labor enforcement record and land on 99% of what Americans import.

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Key Indicators

60
Economies covered
Trading partners named in parallel Section 301 investigations.
10%
Lower proposed duty
Rate for 14 economies with a forced-labor import ban or commitment.
12.5%
Higher proposed duty
Rate for the other 46 economies, including China, Japan, and South Korea.
99.4%
Import coverage
Share of US imports from the 60 economies the duties would reach.

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People Involved

Jamieson Greer
Jamieson Greer
United States Trade Representative
Signed final determination imposing forced-labor tariffs on July 23, 2026

Organizations Involved

Office of the United States Trade Representative
Office of the United States Trade Representative
Federal Agency
Final action complete; duties in effect as of July 24

The executive-branch office that sets US trade policy and enforces trade law.
US International Trade Commission
US International Trade Commission
Federal Agency
Hearings concluded July 9

The independent agency whose Washington hearing room is holding the public testimony.
Liberty Justice Center
Liberty Justice Center
Legal Advocacy Organization
Representing plaintiffs in Burlap & Barrel v. Greer class action at the Court of International Trade

A Chicago-based nonprofit public-interest law firm representing Burlap & Barrel and Collective Horology in their Section 301 forced-labor tariff challenge.
Learning Resources, Inc.
Learning Resources, Inc.
Corporation (Educational Toys)
Co-plaintiff in CIT suit against Section 301 forced-labor tariffs, filed July 24

A Vernon Hills, Illinois educational toy manufacturer and importer. Won the IEEPA tariff case at the Supreme Court in February 2026.
HMTX Industries
HMTX Industries
Private company
Co-plaintiff in CIT suit against Section 301 forced-labor tariffs, filed July 24

A Connecticut-based flooring manufacturer and importer. Co-filed suit with Learning Resources on July 24, 2026.

Timeline

February 2026 July 2026

11 events Latest: July 29th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago Showing 8 of 11
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Trade lawyers: Section 301 harder to challenge than IEEPA

    Latest Legal

    Trade law attorneys told Trade Law Daily that Section 301 challenges will be harder to win than the IEEPA cases, because Congress explicitly authorized tariffs in the statute. Liberty Justice Center CEO Sara Albrecht explained the class-action structure ensures refund relief could reach all importers, not just the named plaintiffs.

  2. Final tariff action published in Federal Register; in-transit window closes

    Procedural

    USTR's final Section 301 forced-labor determination was published in the Federal Register. A limited in-transit exemption for goods already loaded before July 24 expired at midnight.

  3. Small businesses sue to block forced-labor tariffs

    Legal

    Burlap & Barrel and Collective Horology, backed by the Liberty Justice Center, filed suit in the US Court of International Trade. The complaint argues Section 301 does not give USTR authority to impose blanket tariffs across nearly all imports from nearly all countries.

  4. Learning Resources and HMTX Industries file second CIT lawsuit

    Legal

    Toymaker Learning Resources—whose IEEPA challenge produced the February Supreme Court ruling—and Connecticut flooring firm HMTX Industries filed a second suit at the Court of International Trade. The complaint argues the administration had tried the same sweeping global tariff system under three legal authorities in a row, opening with: 'The third time's not the charm.'

  5. Greer signs final determination imposing 10% and 12.5% tariffs

    Policy

    USTR issued its final action hours before the tariffs were set to take effect, finding all 60 economies in violation. Forty-four lacked a forced-labor import ban entirely; 16—including the EU, Canada, and Mexico—had a ban but were found not to enforce it.

  6. Hearings conclude after testimony from over 100 witnesses

    Hearing

    Three days of public testimony ended at the US International Trade Commission. Foreign governments argued against the tariffs alongside US importers seeking exemptions or lower rates.

  7. Public hearings open

    Hearing

    USTR opened three days of testimony at the US International Trade Commission on the proposed forced-labor tariffs. Hearings run through July 9.

  8. Written comment deadline

    Procedural

    The public deadline to file written comments on the proposed action closed the day before hearings.

  9. USTR proposes 10% and 12.5% duties

    Policy

    The office published its findings and proposed additional duties, plus a reduced-rate mechanism for certain textiles.

  10. USTR opens 60 forced-labor investigations

    Investigation

    USTR launched parallel Section 301 cases into whether 60 economies fail to ban and enforce against forced-labor imports.

  11. Supreme Court voids emergency-powers tariffs

    Legal

    The court ruled that the 1977 emergency-powers law does not authorize tariffs, striking down duties the administration had imposed under it.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

March 2018

China Section 301 tariffs (2018)

USTR used Section 301 to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods over technology and intellectual-property practices. The action set off a multi-year tariff exchange between Washington and Beijing.

Then

US importers paid billions in new duties, and China retaliated on US farm and industrial exports.

Now

Most of the tariffs survived legal challenge and outlasted the administration that imposed them, showing Section 301's staying power.

Why this matters now

It is the clearest recent proof that Section 301 tariffs can stick, which is why USTR turned to the statute after losing the emergency-powers case.

June 2022

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (2022)

A US law took effect presuming that goods made wholly or partly in China's Xinjiang region are made with forced labor and barring their import unless companies prove otherwise. Customs officials began stopping shipments at the border.

Then

Thousands of shipments were detained, forcing importers to map and document their supply chains.

Now

It made forced-labor screening a standard part of US import compliance and built the enforcement model this tariff plan now extends worldwide.

Why this matters now

The new tariffs push the same forced-labor standard onto 60 economies at once, using price rather than outright bans.

Sources

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Office of the United States Trade Representative Gibson Dunn White & Case LLP NBC News Virginia Business International Economic Law and Policy Blog Thompson Hine SmarTrade Detroit News FreightWaves Supply Chain Dive Federal Register Trade Law Daily Liberty Justice Center Office of the United States Trade Representative Office of the United States Trade Representative Office of the United States Trade Representative Federal Register Trade Law Daily