The Business and Human Rights Centre responds to new US tariffs imposed on 60 trading partners.

Áine Clarke, Head of Labour Rights, Business and Human Rights Centre, said: “The latest wave of US tariffs follows months of USTR Section 301 investigations and comes as the previous tariff regime was ruled unlawful and forced to retire. These measures have undoubtedly created momentum in tackling forced labour and resulted in some countries implementing or considering stronger import restrictions, but their primary purpose is not the eradication of forced labour. Such trade policy tools are first and foremost designed to address perceived unfair trade practices and protect US commercial interests.

“Such broad and far-reaching measures pay little attention to contextual realities, or potential adverse human rights impacts to rightsholders. At best, they prompt governments to rush through forced labour legislation without the resources or enforcement capacity needed to make it effective. At worst, our research shows that tariff-provoked shifts in company sourcing strategies and purchasing practices can devastate livelihoods and place huge costs on supply chain workers. 

“In the wake of last year’s sweeping tariffs, we saw an increase in the volume and severity of labour rights violations across major apparel-producing countries including food insecurity, increased trafficking risks, and reduced access to life-saving medication. Without adequate safeguards, these new tariffs risk workers becoming collateral damage in a trade agenda that does little to address the root causes of forced labour.”