US launches trade probes into failures to act on forced labor=WASHINGTON, United States, March 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States launched trade investigations Thursday into 60 economies including China, the EU and Japan, fueling the possibility of further tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's global duties. Theset of probes, initiated by the US Trade Representative (USTR) office, will look into "failures to take action on forced labor" and whether these burden or restrict US commerce. The tranche of investigations came a day after US trade envoy Jamieson Greer launched a probe centered on excess industrial capacity, targeting 16 trading partners. Thursday's investigations will consider policies and practices "related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labor," the USTR notice said. "For too long, American workers and firms have been forced to compete against foreign producers who may have an artificial cost advantage gained from the scourge of forced labor," Greer said in a statement.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 13, 2026 03:41 UTC