Trump administration launches trade investigations against 16 countries, including EU and China

The administration of President Donald Trump has launched new trade investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, targeting 16 key US trade partners. The proceedings involve the European Union, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico, with the official reasons being allegations of excessive production capacity and the use of forced labor. These actions aim to rebuild tariff pressure after the US Supreme Court overturned previous tariffs imposed by Washington. China has strongly condemned these steps, calling the overproduction accusations a "false thesis" and opposing unilateral restrictive measures. Section 301 American trade policy under Donald Trump has for years relied on the aggressive use of tariffs as a negotiation tool. The Trade Act of 1974 became the foundation for trade wars with China that began in 2018, leading to tariffs on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The current investigations represent an attempt to restore this strategy after a series of legal defeats for the administration in US courts.

Parallel to the new trade offensive, the US customs agency CBP (Customs and Border Protection) is working on a system to refund previously illegally collected tariffs with interest. According to agency data, the process of building this mechanism is advanced between 40% and 80%. The total value of funds to be returned to importers is 166 billion dollars. This situation is a direct consequence of the Supreme Court ruling, which deemed part of the previous tariffs illegal but did not provide precise guidelines for the refund procedure. Completion level of the refund system: Minimum: 40, Maksimum: 80

The European Union is calling on the United States to respect existing agreements and to view the community as an ally, not a source of trade problems. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and MEP Bernd Lange urged Washington to jointly combat global overcapacity instead of targeting European partners. Simultaneously, the US Department of Commerce decided to lower anti-dumping tariffs imposed on Italian pasta producers. This information was confirmed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Antonio Tajani. „The EU should be seen as an ally in tackling overcapacity, not the source of the problem” — Maroš Šefčovič via Reuters

In Asia, the US administration continues a dual-track policy, combining pressure with investment incentives. US Vice President JD Vance met with representatives from Seoul, during which he welcomed a South Korean investment bill proposal. Nevertheless, South Korea remains on the list of 16 entities subject to the new trade investigations. This situation reflects the tense atmosphere in transatlantic and transpacific relations, where US allies are trying to negotiate exemptions from the new wave of protectionism. Chronology of US trade actions in March 2026: March 4 — CBP report; March 11 — New investigations; March 12 — EU and Italy reaction; March 13 — Vance meeting