The United States has replaced its temporary global import surcharge with new tariffs of between 10% and 12.5%, extending duties across 60 of its largest international trading partners.
Introduced under Section 301 of the Trade Act, the measures cover economies responsible for approximately 99.4% of US imports, including the UK, China and the European Union. Certain products are exempt, while the applicable rate varies between individual trading partners.
The latest change follows a US Supreme Court ruling in February 2026 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorise the President to impose tariffs. The administration subsequently introduced a blanket 10% surcharge under Section 122, effective from 24 February.
However, Section 122 permits temporary import surcharges for only 150 days without further congressional action. That measure expired at 12:01am Eastern Time on 24 July and was immediately succeeded by the Section 301 duties.
The new tariffs are officially intended to address what the US Trade Representative describes as failures by overseas trading partners to prohibit or effectively restrict imports produced using forced labour. Section 301 allows the US government to respond to foreign policies or practices judged unreasonable, discriminatory or restrictive to American commerce.
Legal uncertainty remains. Within hours of the tariffs taking effect, two US small businesses filed a fresh challenge, arguing that the administration exceeded its authority and failed to establish sufficiently specific unfair trade practices.
For international supply chains, another change in tariff authority means continued uncertainty surrounding landed costs, customs planning, sourcing decisions and future trade flows.
