Just as one tariff expires, another one lands. America has just hit 60 trading partners with fresh duties – and not everyone is happy about it.

So, here we go again.

The US has officially rolled out a brand-new wave of tariffs affecting 60 countries, and it all kicked in on Friday, reports cbinews.tv.

If this feels like déjà vu, that’s because it is. This new round replaces that 10% global duty President Donald Trump introduced earlier this year, which has now expired after its 150-day lifespan.

The new levies range from 10% to 12.5%, and they’re pretty wide-reaching – we’re talking big players like China, India, and the European Union.

Why now? According to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, it’s about forced labour. He said: “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.” He also noted these 60 economies make up the majority of US trade.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Countries that already have a forced labour import ban or have promised to bring one in – including Canada, the EU, India and the UK – got the lower 10% rate.

Others, like China, Japan and South Korea, plus dozens more, were hit with the higher 12.5% tariff. Though the EU, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland did get a bit of relief thanks to previous trade pacts with Washington.

As you’d expect, the reaction has been swift. Japan says it “regrets” the move, Australia’s trade minister has branded the duties “unjustified”, and Beijing has warned that trade wars are “not in the interests of any party.” The EU, on the other hand, seemed rather relieved, saying the levies were in line with what was already agreed in the EU-US Joint Statement.

What’s NOT affected? Goods already facing sector-specific tariffs like steel and aluminium are safe, plus certain energy products, fertilisers, and anything covered by the US-Mexico-Canada free trade pact.

And this might not be the end of it. Washington is separately investigating 16 other economies over excess industrial capacity, which could lead to even more duties down the line.

For context, all this comes after the Supreme Court struck down a host of Trump’s earlier tariffs back in February. But the administration has been quick to rebuild that tariff wall using different legal authorities – this time using Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which experts say is far more resistant to legal challenges.

As one trade lawyer put it, this move keeps America’s leverage intact and makes it much more likely these tariffs will stick around for the rest of Trump’s term. It also follows hot on the heels of fresh 25% tariffs on Brazilian goods and a planned 50% tariff on many Canadian products.

In short, America’s protectionist push is back – and it’s got staying power this time.

Credit: cbinews.tv

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