Trump launches new Section 301 investigations against China, EU, and seven other trading partners
The Trump administration announced sweeping new trade investigations targeting unfair practices by nine countries following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down large portions of the 2025 tariff regime.
Economy — March 13, 2026
The Trump administration announced the launch of new Section 301 trade investigations against China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Mexico, Japan, the European Union, and two other trading partners in March 2026, following a US Supreme Court ruling on February 20 that rejected large portions of the broad tariff regime imposed by executive order in 2025.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer delivered the administration's 2026 Trade Policy Agenda to Congress in early March, describing the new investigations as a 'more targeted and legally durable' approach to addressing unfair foreign trading practices.
For China, the USTR issued Section 301 notices related to forced labour practices on March 12, with tariff rates to be determined following a formal review. Greer's report noted that the US goods trade deficit with China had fallen 32% year-over-year in 2025, attributing the reduction to the 2025 tariff campaign, which had pushed China's average tariffs on US goods from 8% to 22% in retaliation.
The USTR estimated that a 68% effective tariff on Chinese goods would be required to fully balance bilateral trade — a figure that economists said would be economically disruptive to both countries. A final report with detailed rate recommendations was due by the end of March.
Against the European Union, the administration on March 11 launched a Section 301 investigation focused on alleged excess industrial capacity in the steel and automotive sectors. Trump had separately threatened 200% tariffs on European alcoholic beverages, a measure directed primarily at French wines and Scotch whisky.
A US-China agreement reached on November 10, 2025 had suspended heightened reciprocal tariffs through November 10, 2026, with Beijing committing to purchase 25 million metric tonnes of US soybeans annually through 2028. That deal remains technically intact but is under pressure from the new 301 proceedings.
Business groups warned that additional tariff uncertainty was already depressing investment. The US Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that 'another round of escalating trade barriers will raise prices for American families and undermine the competitiveness of US manufacturers.'
