WASHINGTON, July 25. /Dunyo IA/. The United States has imposed new import tariffs of 10% and 12.5% on goods from 60 countries and economies, effective July 25, accusing them of failing to do enough to combat the use of forced labour in supply chains, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The new measures replace the temporary 10% tariff that has expired. They also represent the first major trade initiative of the Donald Trump administration following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn part of the previous “reciprocal” tariffs.

The tariffs were imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), they cover approximately 99.4% of U.S. imports, although they do not apply to all goods.

Exempt from the new tariffs are oil and gas, fertilizers, certain food products, critical minerals, aircraft and aircraft parts, as well as automobiles, steel, aluminium, and other products already subject to tariffs on other grounds.

The 10% tariff applies to goods from Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Mexico, Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and a number of other countries. A 12.5% tariff has been imposed on China, Russia, Vietnam, and another 35 countries. For the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan, the total tariff burden, including existing duties, will also amount to 10–12.5%.

Among the countries of Central Asia, only Kazakhstan has been included in the list, with a 12.5% tariff imposed on its goods. Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan were not included in the list, meaning the new restrictions do not apply to their exports to the United States.

Washington said the new measures are intended to combat imports of goods produced using forced labour. “The United States has prohibited such imports for nearly a century and strictly enforces this ban. It is time for our trading partners to do the same,” Reuters quoted U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

A number of countries have already criticized the U.S. decision. China opposed the unilateral tariffs, while Australia, Brazil, and Norway described them as unjustified. The European Union noted that Washington had maintained the previously agreed maximum tariff levels.