Where US Trade Policy and Human Rights Collide What Section 301 Means for Your Supply Chain

On March 12, 2026, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) initiated Section 301 investigations into 60 of the United States’ trading partners to examine whether they have effectively enforced prohibitions on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.

Investigations are targeting completion around July 24, 2026, and affirmative findings could result in broad, country-level tariffs that have a measurable impact on your supply chain operations.

It’s not all bad news, though.

Historically, the USTR has created exclusion processes for Section 301 tariffs. The companies best positioned are those whose human rights due diligence infrastructure can do two jobs at once: engage the USTR process credibly (comments, exclusion requests, government dialogue) AND defend in adjacent regimes (UFLPA, WROs, EUFLR readiness).

Join Antoine Heuty (SVP Human Rights, EcoVadis) and Andrea Bacher (Head of Regulatory Expertise, EcoVadis) to learn why investing in dynamic risk visibility today is your best defense against tomorrow's shifting trade landscape.

What You Will Learn: A factual breakdown of the USTR Section 301 investigations. Why building a forward-looking strategy for supply chain transparency is the need of the hour. How robust forced labor documentation can position your company to advocate for tailored remedies and tariff exclusions. Proactive steps to map your supply chain and identify your exposure to the 60 targeted economies.