The tariffs target around 60 trading partners over claims they failed to properly stop forced labour.

The US is imposing new tariffs on around 60 trading partners accounting for the vast majority of its imports over claims they failed to properly stop forced labour. The duties, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, target key economic partners – including the UK, China, EU, Canada, Japan and India. They come in on Friday, as a temporary 10% tax on foreign goods introduced earlier this year expires. The move is the latest escalation in the global trade war reignited by US President Donald Trump when he returned to office last year. The US Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that many of the tariffs imposed globally under emergency powers were illegally enacted. So the president has since sought other legal avenues to pursue his flagship trade policy. It was last month that the White House first proposed a series of 10-12.5% duties on goods arriving to American shores from dozens of countries over concerns they were not doing enough to tackle forced labour. On Thursday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, acting under Trump's direction, said those duties would now take effect. "Today's action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere," his statement said.