Knowledge Tree
forced labor
Also known as: forced labour
Facts (41)
Sources
Initiation of Section 301 Investigations of Acts, Policies, and ... federalregister.gov Mar 17, 2026 13 facts
measurementThe International Labour Organization estimates that in 2024, profits from forced labor in the global private economy amounted to roughly $63.9 billion annually.
claimCanada, Mexico, and the European Union have adopted measures intended to stop the importation or sale of products produced using forced labor in response to engagement from the United States.
measurementThe International Labour Organization estimates that as of 2021, 28 million people globally, or 3.5 out of every 1,000 people, are in forced labor.
claimThe Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated Section 301 investigations regarding acts, policies, and practices of economies listed in Annex A of the notice related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.
claimWhile several countries have committed to adopting measures against forced labor imports during U.S. reciprocal trade agreement negotiations, none of these countries have adopted and effectively enforced a forced labor import prohibition to date.
claimThe prohibition on importing goods produced with forced labor is intended to address humanitarian concerns, foreign policy, and national security concerns arising from worker exploitation, as well as to protect domestic producers from foreign goods produced with an artificial cost advantage.
measurementThe International Labour Organization estimates that annual profits per victim of forced labor are $2,113 in the agriculture sector and $4,994 in the industry sector.
claimThe failure to prevent trade in products produced with forced labor may negatively affect U.S. commerce by forcing U.S. exports to compete with artificially low-cost imports produced with forced labor in markets that lack import prohibitions.
claimGoods produced with forced labor that enter global supply chains include cotton (used in garments, textiles, thread, and yarn), critical minerals (used in solar products or auto-parts), fish (used in fish oil and fish meal), and palm fruit (used in kernel or palm oil for cooking oils and biofuels).
procedureInterested persons wishing to testify at the hearing regarding the Section 301 investigation on forced labor must submit a notification of intent and summary of testimony via docket number USTR-2026-0134 on the USTR portal.
measurementThe International Labour Organization estimates that between 2016 and 2021, the number of people in forced labor increased by 2.7 million, a trend driven entirely by forced labor in the private economy.
quoteThe International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) provides that “[n]o one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.”
claimForced labor is prohibited by U.S. constitutional and statutory law and is universally recognized under international law as a practice that should not be tolerated.
USTR initiates Section 301 investigations of 60 US trade partners ... jdsupra.com Mar 17, 2026 8 facts
claimThe Trump administration intends to use Section 301 investigations and accompanying tariff threats to pressure United States trade partners into adopting and implementing forced labor import prohibitions.
quoteThe United States Trade Representative stated regarding the inclusion of countries that have committed to forced labor import prohibitions in the Trump administration’s Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ARTs): "none of these countries has adopted and effectively enforced a forced labor import prohibition to date."
claimOn March 12, 2026, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated Section 301 investigations under the Trade Act of 1974 into the acts, policies, and practices of 60 US trade partners regarding their failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.
claimThe list of 60 economies subject to the Section 301 investigations includes entities that have already adopted or implemented prohibitions on imports made by forced labor and supply chain due diligence standards, such as the European Union, Canada, and Mexico.
accountIn an Agreement Regarding Trade (ART) signed before the Supreme Court ended the IEEPA tariff program, Indonesia committed to adopt and implement a prohibition on the importation of goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced or compulsory labor within two years of the agreement's entry into force.
claimThe United States Trade Representative (USTR) encourages trade partners to coordinate their forced labor import prohibitions with United States actions under Section 307 of the Tariff Act.
quoteThe Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) stated that Section 301 investigations will proceed on an “accelerated timeframe,” covering most major trade partners and addressing issues including “industrial excess capacity, forced labor, pharmaceutical pricing practices, discrimination against US technology companies and digital goods and services, digital services taxes, ocean pollution, and practices related to the trade in seafood, rice, and other products.”
claimSince early 2025, the Trump administration has introduced new policies into US trade policy, including considering whether inadequate wages violate antidumping duty laws, proposing country-wide Section 301 tariffs to pressure countries to improve labor rights, and asking countries to commit to adopting prohibitions on imports of goods made with forced labor in Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ARTs).
USTR Launches Broad Section 301 Investigations Into Excess ... dwt.com 2 days ago 6 facts
claimOn March 12, the USTR initiated a second Section 301 investigation focusing on the alleged failure of the United States' 60 largest trading partners to impose and effectively enforce prohibitions on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.
referenceUnder Section 301(d)(3)(B)(iii)(III) of the Trade Act, a persistent pattern of conduct that permits any form of forced or compulsory labor is defined as unreasonable.
claimThe USTR claims that the 60 largest trading partners of the United States have failed to enact or enforce laws to prevent trade in goods produced by forced labor, which results in artificially low-cost exports.
claimThe Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) initiated two investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. § 2411) to investigate alleged unfair trade practices in 60 foreign economies regarding excess supply and forced labor prohibitions.
referenceUnder 19 U.S.C. § 1307, U.S. Customs and Border Protection excludes goods found to be made with forced labor through the issuance of withhold release orders.
claimThe U.S. Administration is launching new Section 301 investigations into excess supply and forced labor prohibition practices of economies that account for over 99% of U.S. imports.
Tracking Trump's Trade Deals | Council on Foreign Relations cfr.org Mar 17, 2026 5 facts
claimSouth Korea agreed to prohibit the import of goods produced by forced labor and to maintain high environmental standards, including through the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
claimIndonesia agreed to prohibit the import of goods produced by forced labor and to maintain high environmental standards, including implementing the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and combatting illegal logging.
claimThe U.S.-Bangladesh Agreement on Reciprocal Trade requires Bangladesh to prohibit the import of goods produced by forced labor and maintain high environmental standards.
claimEcuador agreed to prohibit the import of goods produced by forced labor and to maintain high environmental standards, including the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and efforts to combat illegal logging.
claimCambodia agreed to prohibit the import of goods produced by forced labor and to maintain high environmental standards, including through the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
Fact Sheet: USTR Initiates 60 Section 301 Investigations Relating to ... ustr.gov 3 facts
claimUnited States law has prohibited the importation of goods mined, produced, or manufactured in whole or in part with forced labor for almost 100 years.
claimForced labor is defined as work or service extracted from a person under the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer himself voluntarily.
claimCompanies that utilize forced labor benefit from artificially lower labor costs, allowing them to sell goods at lower prices, which disadvantages United States workers and exporters.
USTR Launches 60 Section 301 Investigations on Forced Labor Trade linkedin.com Mar 16, 2026 3 facts
claimCountries that fail to address forced labor in goods entering the United States face potential scrutiny and trade consequences from the USTR.
claimThe Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has initiated 60 Section 301(b) investigations to identify economies allowing goods produced with forced labor to enter the United States.
perspectiveThe objective of the USTR's Section 301(b) investigations is to distinguish between regimes that effectively prohibit forced labor and those that do not, in order to ensure American workers and firms do not compete on an unethical playing field.
Measurement of diets that are healthy, environmentally sustainable ... frontiersin.org 2 facts
referenceBlackstone et al. published 'Risk of forced labour embedded in the US fruit and vegetable supply' in Nature Food in 2021.
referenceReference (71) identifies new research in the United States that estimates the risk of forced labor at the food level, which shows potential for integration into future diet sustainability studies.
USTR Initiates Section 301 Investigations into Failures to Enforce a ... kslaw.com Mar 13, 2026 1 fact
measurementForeign firms that fail to enact or enforce prohibitions on forced labor generate an estimated $63.9 billion in annual profits by artificially reducing labor costs.