BUENOS AIRES (dpa-AFX) - The United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer has launched Section 301 investigations into acts, policies, and practices of 60 economies relating to the failure to impose a prohibition on the import of goods produced with forced labor.
U.S. law has prohibited the importation of goods mined, produced, or manufactured in whole or in part with forced labor.
However, the use of forced labor across the world continues to persist and has even increased in recent years.
Companies using forced labor benefit from artificially lower labor costs, and, as a result, are able to sell their goods at a lower price than they would otherwise. This disadvantages U.S. workers and exporters.
These investigations by USTR will focus on 60 top U.S. trading partners, collectively covering more than 99 percent of U.S. imports in 2024. The 60 economies subject to these investigations include India, Russia, China, UK, Brazil, Australia, European Union, Canada, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea and Japan,
The Office of the United States Trade Representative said some trading partners have adopted measures to stop the import or sale of goods produced using forced labor. Additionally, in the context of ongoing U.S. reciprocal trade agreement negotiations, several countries have committed to adopt such measures. However, none of the economies subject to these investigations appears to have both adopted and effectively enforced a forced labor import prohibition so far, the USTR noted.
The USTR will examine whether these countries' acts, policies, or practices burden or restrict U.S. commerce, and if any action should be taken.
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