The administration of President Donald Trump on June 1 said it would impose a 25% percent tariff on a broad range of Brazilian imports, after concluding an investigation conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The investigation concluded that Brazil had engaged in unfair practices that imposed burdens on American businesses, reports The New York Times.

Section 301 authorizes the United States to impose tariffs and other penalties in response to unfair foreign trade practices.

In a news release, the United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, said the investigation found that Brazil had failed to adequately enforce intellectual property rights and had not taken sufficient measures to combat corruption and bribery. The administration also cited Brazil’s restrictions on access to its ethanol market, and what it described as inadequate enforcement of anti-deforestation laws.

The United States Trade Representative is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed measures on July 6, and Brazil has until July 15 to take “responsive action” to address the issues raised in the investigation.

Brazil is one of more than a dozen countries that have come under Section 301 investigations, as the Trump administration seeks to establish a more durable global tariff system after the so-called reciprocal tariffs levied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in February.

The Times said the proposed tariffs would exempt some products, including beef, coffee, rare earth metals, aircraft equipment and certain fruits and vegetables, which are among the main goods the U.S. imports from Brazil. The U.S. imported $41.6 billion in goods from Brazil in 2025, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.