The Dominican Republic strengthens its customs controls against forced labour after a 12.5% US duty

President Luis Abinader signed Decree 502-26 on 24 July 2026, a few hours before an additional 12.5% US customs duty on Dominican exports took effect at midnight, under the same US Section 301 action on forced labour affecting 60 trading partners, including China itself, which is also subject to 12.5%.

The decree gives the Dirección General de Aduanas, the Dominican customs authority, the power to investigate, hold as a precaution and refuse entry to goods suspected of being produced through forced labour. The Ministry of Labour is responsible for the technical assessment of each case. A public register of banned products has been created, and importers must provide detailed information on the traceability of their supply chain.

Dominican law already prohibited the import of goods made with forced labour in principle, but Washington judged enforcement insufficient. A bill tabled in August 2026 by a Dominican senator aims to go even further, in the hope of avoiding around 180 million dollars a year in additional duties on Dominican exports to the United States.

For an importer, any shipment, including goods of Chinese origin or containing Chinese components, can now be flagged, held and inspected by Dominican customs on forced-labour grounds, regardless of its usual tariff classification.