U.S. Launches Forced-Labour Imports Probe Covering 60 Economies, Includes India

The Office of the United States Trade Representative has initiated an investigation into 60 economies, including India, to review whether governments have adopted and enforced policies banning imports of goods produced with forced labour, according to an official announcement by the agency.

The investigation will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a U.S. legal framework used to examine whether foreign government policies or practices burden or restrict U.S. commerce.

According to the agency, the probe will assess the actions taken by governments to block goods produced with forced labour from entering their domestic markets.

Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, said the investigation will examine whether countries have implemented and enforced measures preventing such goods from being imported.

He stated that despite global consensus against forced labour, several governments have not adopted or enforced effective restrictions on goods produced under such conditions.

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Economies Covered Under The Investigation

The investigation includes economies across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Countries named in the probe include China, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Other economies listed include Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Colombia. Several Middle Eastern countries are also included in the investigation, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.

European economies listed in the directive include Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Other countries included in the probe are Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and Israel, among others.

Investigation Under Section 301 Framework

The process has been initiated based on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The section allows the U.S. government to examine the policies of a foreign government that impact U.S. commerce. 

According to this process, the U.S. Trade Representative can scrutinize the policies and actions of a foreign government and check whether they are unreasonable, discriminatory, and impact U.S. commerce. The process can involve consultations before initiating any measures.

Second Section 301 Investigation Announced

The forced-labour probe was announced shortly after another investigation initiated by the U.S. Trade Representative targeting manufacturing practices in multiple economies.

That investigation, also conducted under the Trade Act of 1974, covers 16 economies, including India, and focuses on whether structural excess manufacturing capacity in certain industries affects U.S. commerce.

The newly announced investigation will examine policies and enforcement measures adopted by governments to prevent the entry of goods produced using forced labour into their markets.

The outcome of the review will depend on the findings of the investigation carried out by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.