Global: US tariffs on 60 countries with concerns of forced labour highlight need for stronger action in supply chains
”US announces new tariffs over forced labour concerns,” 4 June 2026
The US has announced new tariffs of 10-12.5% on dozens of countries accounting for almost all its imports over concerns they are not doing enough to tackle forced labour...
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The US Trade Department said these countries will face the tariffs because of their failure to address the importing of goods made with forced labour.
The UK said it is tackling forced labour, China denied goods are made with forced labour, and the EU said the tariffs were unjustified.
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Human rights groups say forced labour does exist in China and that the UK and other countries need to do more on making sure firms do not have forced labour in their supply chains.
However, they questioned the effectiveness of US tariffs as a way of dealing with the problem.
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Trade measures can play a role in addressing forced labour risks, but they are not a substitute for effective enforcement, corporate accountability and mandatory human rights due diligence.Peter Frankental, Amnesty International's business and human rights director