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USTR initiates Section 301 investigations for failure to prohibit import of goods produced with forced labor

Investigations into the acts, policies, and practices of 60 economies.

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march 13, 2026

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on March 12, 2026, issued a release announcing the initiation of Section 301 investigations into the acts, policies, and practices of 60 economies related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.

Comments are due by April 15, 2026, and public hearings are scheduled to begin on April 28, 2026. Read the formal USTR notice.

The USTR aims to determine whether the failure to prohibit forced labor imports is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens U.S. commerce. Economies subject to the investigations are:

Algeria

Guyana

Pakistan

Angola

Honduras

Peru

Argentina

Hong Kong

Philippines

Australia

India

Qatar

Bahamas

Indonesia

Russia

Bahrain

Iraq

Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh

Israel

Singapore

Brazil

Japan

South Africa

Cambodia

Jordan

South Korea

Canada

Kazakhstan

Sri Lanka

Chile

Kuwait

Switzerland

China

Libya

Taiwan

Colombia

Malaysia

Thailand

Costa Rica

Mexico

Trinidad and Tobago

Dominican Republic

Morocco

Türkiye

Ecuador

New Zealand

United Arab Emirates

Egypt

Nicaragua

United Kingdom

El Salvador

Nigeria

Uruguay

European Union

Norway

Venezuela

Guatemala

Oman

Vietnam


Section 301

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 is intended to address unfair foreign practices that affect U.S. commerce. It may be invoked to respond to unjustifiable, unreasonable, or discriminatory actions by foreign governments that burden or restrict U.S. trade. A Section 301(b) investigation evaluates whether a foreign country’s acts, policies, or practices are unreasonable or discriminatory and whether they burden or restrict U.S. commerce.

For more information, contact a professional with KPMG Trade & Customs services:

 

Andrew Siciliano
Partner, U.S. & Global Practice Leader

E: asiciliano@kpmg.com

Doug Zuvich
Partner

E: dzuvich@kpmg.com

Irina Vaysfeld
Principal

E: ivaysfeld@kpmg.com

John L. McLoughlin
Principal

E: jlmcloughlin@kpmg.com

Luis (Lou) Abad
Principal

E: labad@kpmg.com

George Zaharatos
Principal

E: gzaharatos@kpmg.com

Christopher Young
Principal

E: christopheryoung@kpmg.com

Amie Ahanchian
Principal

E: aahanchian@kpmg.com

Gisele Belotto
Principal

E: gbelotto@kpmg.com

Steve Brotherton
Principal

E: sbrotherton@kpmg.com

Jessica Libby
Principal

E: jlibby@kpmg.com

Dawn Olesky
Principal

E: dolesky@kpmg.com

Frances Xing
Principal

E: francesxing@kpmg.com

 

 

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