The United States government announced the start of trade investigations against 16 economies, including Mexico, to determine whether their industrial policies and manufacturing production levels generate a “structural excess capacity” that negatively impacts U.S. industry.
The measure, according to a statement by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, is based on Section 301(b) of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974, a legal mechanism that allows Washington to investigate and potentially respond to foreign practices it deems unjustifiable, discriminatory, or restrictive to U.S. trade.
The economies subject to these investigations are: China, the European Union, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan, and India.
Greer indicated that the current administration’s reindustrialization efforts continue to face significant challenges due to the structural excess capacity and production of foreign economies in the manufacturing sectors.
“In numerous sectors, many of the U.S. trading partners produce more goods than they can consume domestically. This overproduction crowds out existing U.S. domestic production or prevents investment and expansion of our manufacturing production that would otherwise have been initiated,” he noted.
The U.S. Trade Representative said the investigation into unfair trade practices under Section 301 could lead to the imposition of new tariffs. This measure by President Donald Trump’s administration comes after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many of the tariffs previously imposed.
“The United States will no longer sacrifice its industrial base to other countries that may be exporting their excess capacity and production problems to us. Today’s investigations underscore President Trump’s commitment to relocating critical supply chains and creating good-paying jobs for American workers in our manufacturing sectors,” Greer emphasized.
According to the statement, the period for submitting comments on the investigations will open on March 17, 2026. To ensure their comments are considered, interested parties must submit them in writing, request to appear at the hearing, and provide a summary of the testimony by April 15, 2026. The USTR will hold a hearing regarding these investigations beginning on May 5, 2026.
Greer announced that on Thursday he would launch another investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which aims to prohibit imports into the U.S. of products made with forced labor. This investigation covers more than 60 countries.
Source: jornada
