The Trump administration has opened a sweeping Section 301 investigation into whether 60 countries have failed to meaningfully enforce bans on imported goods produced with forced labor.
The probe targets a broad range of US trading partners, including Canada, China, the European Union and Mexico, as well as dozens of countries across every major global region. According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, many of these economies have adopted legal measures to restrict goods made with forced labor, but enforcement remains weak or ineffective.
Washington argues that this failure creates an uneven playing field for US exporters. In markets where forced-labor products are not effectively blocked, American companies may end up competing against goods that are produced at artificially low cost — including goods that were denied entry into the US and then re-exported elsewhere.
USTR Jamieson Greer said in an interview with CNBC that the administration intends to move quickly, aiming to conclude the investigation within a matter of months. If the outcome shows insufficient compliance or reform, the United States could respond with tariffs.
A public comment docket has already been opened, and a hearing is scheduled for April 28.
The probe comes as Washington ramps up its use of Section 301 investigations to address a wider range of structural trade concerns. It follows another newly launched investigation into potential excess manufacturing capacity and broader industrial policy distortions abroad.
The administration has already used Section 301 in previous cases involving individual countries such as Brazil and Nicaragua, with tariffs imposed in at least one of those cases. That history suggests this latest inquiry is more than a symbolic move. It is part of a growing pattern in which the US is using trade investigations not only to pressure foreign governments, but also to lay the groundwork for future commercial penalties.
For global exporters, the message is clear: labor compliance is no longer just a reputational issue. It is increasingly becoming a trade access issue as well.
