Overview
- The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative opened an investigation into structural overcapacity across more than 16 partners, including the EU, China, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, India, Switzerland and Norway, with Canada not listed for this probe.
- Public hearings are scheduled for May and governments under review will be consulted as officials assess whether the findings warrant trade measures.
- A separate inquiry targeting imports tied to forced labour covers over 60 economies, naming partners such as the EU, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia.
- USTR chief Jamieson Greer said he aims to complete the Section 301 investigations and propose remedies before the temporary 10% tariffs imposed after the Supreme Court ruling lapse in July.
- The European Commission warned it will respond proportionately if Washington breaches last summer’s tariff deal, while China condemned the probes and, according to sources, India is delaying a planned trade pact.