The United States has launched an investigation against 60 countries, including Bangladesh, to examine whether they have taken effective measures to prevent the use of forced labour in the production of goods.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in a press release.
According to the statement, the probe will assess whether the laws, policies and enforcement mechanisms of the listed countries are effective, reasonable or discriminatory in preventing the import of goods produced through forced labour.
Investigation Under US Trade Law
The investigation will be conducted under Section 301(b) of the US Trade Act of 1974.
The USTR said the review will examine:
- Whether the listed countries have effective laws and policies to ban the import of goods produced with forced labour.
- How effectively those policies are implemented in practice.
- Whether those policies or practices create any burden or restriction on US trade.
Under Section 301 of the Trade Act, the United States can take retaliatory measures if a foreign government’s policy or practice is considered unreasonable or discriminatory and harms US trade.
The statement also noted that under Section 302(b), the USTR has the authority to initiate such investigations independently.
Separate Probe Into Industrial Overcapacity
Earlier, on Wednesday, the United States had launched a separate investigation into 16 countries, including Bangladesh, to examine issues related to industrial overcapacity and excess production in the manufacturing sector.
USTR Statement
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that despite global consensus against forced labour, concerns remain about its continued presence in global supply chains.
“Despite international consensus against forced labour, many governments continue to allow goods produced under such conditions to enter their markets,” he said.
He added:
“This investigation will determine whether foreign governments have taken sufficient steps to prohibit imports of goods produced with forced labour and assess the impact of such unethical practices on American workers and businesses.”
Countries Under Investigation
The countries and regions included in the investigation are:
Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, European Union, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Next Steps in the Investigation
The USTR said it has formally contacted the governments of the listed countries and requested consultations regarding the matter.
Key upcoming deadlines include:
- April 15: Deadline to submit written comments or requests to participate in the hearing.
- April 28: Public hearing on the investigation.
