Arabic version: أستراليا تقدم اعتراضًا رسميًا على مقترح تعريفات الولايات المتحدة
The Australian embassy in Washington has lodged a formal objection with the US Trade Representative over a proposed 12.5 per cent tariff on Australian imports. According to ABC News, the submission says there is “no credible evidentiary basis” for the finding against Australia.
The tariff proposal would replace a 10 per cent tariff that the US Supreme Court struck down in February. The legal basis for the new measure is an investigation into forced labour and slavery launched after Mr Trump said he would find ways around the court ruling; investigators subsequently concluded major trading partners had failed to adequately prevent forced labour and proposed new tariffs across the board.
This matters because Australia argues the measure would breach the US‑Australia free trade agreement and could impose costs on buyers and supply chains; business groups warned tariffs could place “disproportionate costs” on US buyers without helping prevent forced labour. The USTR says the international community’s failure to act has created an “unlevel playing field” for American workers.
Australia’s submission, lodged by acting trade diplomat Erin Kelly, points to the country’s consistent top rating in the US annual Trafficking in Persons Report and argues the 12.5 per cent rate is unfair compared with other countries such as the UK, which the US proposes to hit with a 10 per cent tariff. The submission also highlights recent bilateral cooperation, citing relaxed US restrictions on Australian beef and a critical minerals framework agreement.
The Business Council of Australia urged the US to exempt five categories of imports if tariffs proceed, including products under national security measures, items with no meaningful domestic alternative, goods supporting resilient supply chains, products where tariffs would cause disproportionate costs to US buyers, and goods for people with disabilities covered by the Nairobi Protocol. Industry group AusBiotech and medical device maker Cochlear made similar submissions. The USTR has been hearing in-person evidence from representatives of more than a dozen countries this week, though Australia was not listed; Trade Minister Don Farrell reiterated Australia’s position to US trade ambassador Jamieson Greer in Paris last month. What’s next? The US is yet to make a final decision on the proposed tariff.
Related sections: General | Australia/استراليا | Economy/اقتصاد | World/العالم
