The new duties, set at 10% for some partners and 12.5% for others, were proposed under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 and justified by Washington as a response to what it said was inadequate enforcement against goods made with forced labor. The European Union faces a 10% rate, with exemptions for certain products. The European Commission said the proposal appeared broadly consistent with the EU-US trade deal reached in 2025, while rejecting Washington’s criticism of the bloc’s enforcement of forced-labor rules. For many EU exporters, the immediate economic impact may be limited because the EU already faces a 10% baseline rate on some goods under the 2025 framework. Even so, the decision could complicate negotiations over further exemptions and add uncertainty for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.