US proposes new tariffs on trading partners; India, China to be tariffed 12.5%: Report

The US is reportedly proposing tariffs of at least 10 per cent on imports from its major trading partners. This has come after an investigation into forced-labour practices.

According to a report in Bloomberg, products from countries like India, China, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Switzerland would be subjected to a 12.5 per cent levy, while the 10 per cent rate would apply to imports from Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Taiwan and the UK and others, as per the Office of the US Trade Representative.

US President Donald Trump is looking to reimpose the tariffs that were struck down by the Supreme Court.

This comes amid a time when US chief negotiators are holding three days of talks with Indian officials in New Delhi to finalise a bilateral trade agreement (BTA).

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The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has published findings from 60 Section 301 investigations, identifying India among 54 economies that have not imposed or effectively enforced a ban on imports of goods made with forced labour, the report added.

The USTR notice states that economies with a forced-labour import ban, those committed through an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, or those with partial regimes preventing certain forced-labour goods, would face an additional 10% duty.

For other economies, including India, the USTR has proposed a higher additional duty rate of 12.5%. The proposal also includes a textile mechanism allowing a specified volume of apparel and textile imports from certain economies into the US at a reduced Section 301 tariff rate.

The USTR has suggested responsive actions as part of these investigations.