APAC Sustainability "Pulse: The U.S. links new tariff proposal to forced..."

Research evidence excerpt

APAC Sustainability "Pulse: The U.S. links new tariff proposal to forced..."

Global Research

4 June 2026ab

APAC Sustainability Equities

Asia PacificPulse: The U.S. links new tariff proposal to forced

labour Global Sustainability

Phineas Glover

Analyst

phineas.glover@ubs.com

Event +852-3712 3917

On June 2, 2026, the U.S. Trade Representative proposed broad new tariffs on imports Victoria Kalb

from c. 60 countries, citing an investigation into goods allegedly produced with forced Analyst

labour. Tariffs of 10% are slated for partners that have some forced-labour import vicki.kalb@ubs.com

regime or commitments (e.g. Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, the UK, European Union), while +65-6495 4584

imports from others like China, Japan, India, and South Korea face a 12.5% duty. The Leigha Miyata

proposal will undergo public comment before any final implementation. Analyst

leigha.miyata@ubs.com

Background +81-3-5208 7101

This action stems from a Section 301 trade investigation launched in March 2026 to Lydia Brunton

pressure trading partners to adopt forced labour import bans. It marks an escalation Analyst

beyond prior enforcement: the U.S. already bans specific goods made with forced lydia.brunton@ubs.com

labour via the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and through targeted Customs +61-2-9324 2172

Withhold Release Orders (WROs). Those measures focus on identified products or Jarvis Lam

regions. By contrast, the new approach would penalise entire countries’ exports unless Analyst

those countries themselves impose and enforce forced-labour prohibitions. Using forced jarvis.lam@ubs.com

labour as a broad trade lever is unprecedented and follows a Supreme Court ruling in +852-2971 7701

Feb 2026 that rejected the earlier global tariff programme. Internationally, the move Shneur Z.