Pakistan among 18 countries facing new 10% US tariffs

WASHINGTON: The United States has imposed a 10% tariff on goods imported from Pakistan as part of a new trade action targeting 60 trading partners over what the Trump administration says is inadequate enforcement of forced labour bans.

Pakistan is among 18 countries assigned a 10% tariff rate, alongside Canada, Britain, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Bangladesh and Indonesia. The European Union, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Switzerland were assigned rates that, together with existing most-favoured-nation tariffs, total either 10% or 12.5%, while 38 other countries, including China and Vietnam, face a 12.5% duty.

The new duties, introduced under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, took effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Friday, replacing a temporary 10% global tariff that expired after 150 days. The tariffs cover 99.4% of all US imports, although several categories, including oil and gas, fertiliser, certain food items, aircraft, critical minerals and products already subject to national security tariffs, are exempt.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the measures were intended to address what Washington views as weak enforcement of forced labour import bans by trading partners.

“The United States has had a forced labour import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it. It’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” Greer said.

The White House said the tariffs were designed to maintain a baseline duty on almost all imports after the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s earlier reciprocal tariffs in February. Officials also argued that the new measures are less vulnerable to legal challenges because Section 301 has previously withstood court scrutiny.

The announcement prompted criticism from several trading partners, with the European Union, Australia, Brazil and Norway describing the new tariffs as unjustified or lacking a valid basis. Canada said it would continue engaging with Washington over the issue.