said in a statement on Friday that the 12.5% tariff imposed by the United States on Peru does not affect all of the country's exports, adding that it will seek a review of the measure based on regulatory developments and technical information.
Forced labor
The United States Government, through the Office of the USTR, announced the final action resulting from investigations conducted under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974 concerning countries that have failed to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced wholly or in part with forced labor.
The decision imposes additional tariffs of 10% or 12.5%, depending on the treatment assigned to each economy.
The measure is not directed solely at Peru.
It applies to 60 economies, representing 86 countries and customs territories, which accounted for 99.4% of U.S. imports in 2025.
For Peru, the additional tariff is 12.5%. The measure does not apply to all exports, as it provides exclusions for more than 2,000 products, which accounted for 45% of the value of U.S. imports from Peru.
Entry into force
The measure entered into force at 12:01 a.m. ET on July 24, when the temporary 10% surcharge imposed under Section 122 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974, in connection with the balance of payments, expired.
To date, the U.S. Congress has not approved its extension, so the two levies do not overlap.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) actively participated in all stages of the USTR investigation and submitted information on the measures adopted by Peru in this area.
The determination does not conclude that Peru exports goods produced with forced labor, nor does it identify Peruvian products made under such conditions, as the USTR focused its investigation on whether countries impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of such goods.
Bill
It should be noted that the Peruvian Government submitted to Congress a bill that expressly prohibits the importation of goods produced wholly or in part with forced labor, with the aim of strengthening the national legal framework in this area.
Its approval by the Peruvian Congress would constitute a concrete step toward addressing the USTR's main concern as well.
Mincetur is assessing the effects of this measure in coordination with the relevant public entities and business associations.
The Executive Branch institution will also continue to provide the necessary technical support throughout the legislative process for the bill submitted to the Peruvian Congress.
"Mincetur maintains an open dialogue with the United States and will continue working with the relevant authorities and the private sector to defend the country's interests and promote a review of the measure based on Peru's regulatory developments and the technical information it has submitted," it pointed out.
Publicado: 24/7/2026