US tariffs, second season in the making. After the Supreme Court invalidated the Trump administration’s tariffs, it has implemented temporary ones (at a rate of 10% until July 24, 2026, a Congressional agreement would then be necessary to extend them) and they intend to make them permanent. On Wednesday, March 11, the United States launched a series of investigations to document the economic damages they would suffer, notes Le Monde.
There are two types of investigations. According to Jamieson Greer, the White House representative for trade, the first ones will “focus on economies where the evidence seems to point to structural overcapacity.” Washington has several countries in its sights: Mexico, Japan, India, China, and the European Union (EU). In total, around fifteen countries are targeted. The investigations will take place independently of the trade agreements that some of these countries have with the United States, Jamieson Greer clarified.
The second type of investigation will concern countries suspected of using forced labor to produce goods destined for the United States. Once completed, they could result in sales bans on the implicated products. “We believe the investigation will involve around sixty countries,” stated the White House trade representative. These investigations are not conducted without a framework: they are launched under a 1974 trade law. They are expected to last several months. A call for comments from stakeholders will be made, followed by public hearings.
