The proposal is part of a broader effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to reshape its trade policy after a series of legal setbacks weakened earlier tariff measures.
The USTR launched investigations several months ago into a number of major trading partners, including China, the European Union and Japan, to assess whether they had taken sufficient action against imports linked to forced labour and whether such practices harmed US commerce.
In its latest findings, the trade agency said that 54 economies had failed to impose and effectively enforce bans on goods produced through forced labour. Countries identified in this category include China, Vietnam, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Six other economies — Canada, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan and the European Union — were found to have regulations in place but were deemed to have failed in effectively enforcing them.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the lack of action by major trading partners was creating unfair competition for American workers.
“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable,” Greer said in a statement.
He argued that inadequate enforcement of labour standards abroad places American businesses and workers at a disadvantage in global markets.
Despite the proposed tariffs, several categories of products would remain exempt. These include beef, coffee, and certain fruits and nuts. In addition, goods from Canada and Mexico that comply with the North American free trade agreement would not be affected, while some textile and apparel products would also be excluded.
The USTR has invited public comments on the proposal until July 6 and is expected to hold hearings before making a final determination.
The latest initiative follows a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that struck down a number of Trump-era tariffs. In response, US trade officials have pursued alternative legal avenues to establish more durable trade measures.
Alongside the forced labour investigations, the USTR has also launched separate inquiries into what it describes as excess industrial capacity in several foreign economies, signalling that further trade actions could follow in the coming months.
