U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed Wednesday that his office is preparing to release its "final responsive action" regarding trade investigations into 60 countries over forced labor practices.
The announcement, which could come as early as Thursday, represents the culmination of a lengthy review process that has kept importers and exporters in a state of uncertainty for months.
The proposed measures, initially outlined by the USTR, include tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from the affected economies.
These levies are justified by the administration's stance that these nations have failed to adequately ban goods produced using forced labor.
The broad scope of the investigation—covering 60 trading partners—means the potential impact on global trade flows is significant, touching sectors ranging from textiles to electronics.
Markets are likely to react to the clarity this release brings, as businesses have been pricing in the risk of these tariffs for some time.