00:01The European Union is preparing to accept new tariffs the United States is expected to impose in the coming days
00:09over forced labor, according to the European Commission.
00:13Despite considering the new duties unjustified, the Commission said its priority was to ensure tariffs on EU goods remain below
00:22the 15% cap agreed under the EU-US trade deal in July 2025.
00:27Meanwhile, the White House justified its actions by arguing that insufficient efforts to curb trade in goods produced using forced
00:37labor were harming U.S. commercial interests.
00:40The current U.S. tariff regime expires on Friday, and one U.S. trade official said on Tuesday that implementation
00:47of the forced labor duties was imminent.
00:50As part of its efforts to replace the current regime, the U.S. trade department launched an investigation into forced
00:57labor in global supply chains, which is due to be concluded in the coming days.
01:02In early June, the Commission defended its regulations, saying it had strict rules against products made with forced labor.
01:10The Trump administration imposed 10% duties on its global trading partners last February after a U.S. Supreme Court
01:18ruling declared its 2025 tariffs illegal.
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