The United States activated new tariffs on 60 trading partners on July 24. The duties cover 99.4% of all imports from those countries. Rates range from 10% to 12.5%, imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
What the tariffs cover
The action targets nearly every product coming from the listed nations. That includes raw materials, manufactured goods, and consumer items. The 99.4% coverage figure means only a sliver of imports — likely items with existing exemptions or de minimis shipments — escape the new levies.
Why Section 301
The administration used Section 301, a law that lets the president retaliate against foreign trade practices deemed unfair or discriminatory. Previous Section 301 actions targeted Chinese intellectual property practices and digital services taxes from several European countries. This time the scope is broader, hitting 60 partners at once.
Rates and timing
The tariffs took effect immediately on July 24. The 10-12.5% band is relatively narrow compared to some past Section 301 rates, which have gone as high as 25%. But the breadth of countries affected makes this one of the widest single-day tariff actions in recent years.
What happens next
The affected trading partners now face a choice: retaliate with their own tariffs on US goods, or seek negotiations to roll back the duties. Some have already signaled they may challenge the measures at the World Trade Organization. No formal responses have been announced as of July 24.
