Washington has launched a sweeping trade investigation that now places the Philippines and 59 other economies under scrutiny over their enforcement of bans on goods made with forced labor.
The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said the probe, initiated under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, will examine whether foreign governments, including the Philippines, have failed to impose or effectively enforce restrictions on imports linked to forced labor.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said weak enforcement abroad risks allowing forced-labor goods to circulate through global supply chains, creating unfair competition for American businesses.
“Despite the international consensus against forced labor, governments have failed to impose and effectively enforce measures banning goods produced with forced labor from entering their markets,” Greer said in a statement.
The investigation will assess whether such lapses amount to acts, policies, or practices that are “unreasonable or discriminatory” and that burden or restrict US commerce.
Section 301 is a key U.S. trade enforcement tool that allows Washington to investigate and potentially respond to foreign government practices deemed harmful to American economic interests. The new probe was self-initiated following consultations with the inter-agency Section 301 Committee and other advisory groups.
USTR said it will seek consultations with governments whose policies are under review as part of the process.
Public hearings are scheduled for April 28, while written submissions and requests to testify must be filed by April 15.
The move comes as Washington intensifies efforts to police global supply chains for forced labor. American authorities have already tightened import restrictions under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which targets goods tied to supply chains in China’s Xinjiang region.
The latest investigation will examine whether other economies have implemented comparable safeguards against forced-labor imports—or risk distorting global trade.
