A Wisconsin federal court on Dec. 1 dismissed a case from a former prisoner at the Nunan Chishan Prison in China against Milwaukee Electric Tool and its parent company, Techtronic Industries, for allegedly importing goods made with forced labor. Judge Brett Ludwig of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin held that the civil remedy of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which is the statute the prisoner sued under, doesn't apply to conduct occurring outside the U.S. (Xu Lun v. Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., E.D. Wis. # 24-803).
CBP's and data technology provider Altana's foray into developing a technology tool that can provide both regulators and stakeholders with deep visibility into products' supply chains may serve as a foundation for what trade facilitation might look like in the future, Altana's vice president and head of trade compliance Amy Morgan asserted in a Dec. 2 webinar hosted by the American Association of Exporters and Importers.
Data technology provider Kharon said CBP has expanded its agreement with the company for its global risk analytics platform to enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and other customs and trade laws, according to a Dec. 2 release.
CBP is offering a new benefit to members of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Trade Compliance program: an advance notice that the agency is issuing withhold release order, according to a FAQ document on CTPAT Trade Compliance forced labor requirements.
CBP has issued four withhold release orders so far in 2025, which is above 2022 and 2024 levels but well below the 12 WROs issued in 2020, according to recently updated CBP data.
As CBP ramps up enforcement, the agency often seems to be heading straight for penalties, as witnessed anecdotally by the trend to send out more notices of action, or CF-29 forms, instead of informing importers of possible errors, according to trade experts speaking on a Nov. 20 webinar hosted by logistics company Expeditors.
Firemount confirmed "having taken note of the Withhold Release Order" issued by CBP Nov. 18 (see 2511180038) but "categorically and unequivocally" denied "any allegation" of forced labor in its operations or supply chains, the company told International Trade Today on Nov. 20.
CBP has issued a withhold release order against imports manufactured in Mauritius by Firemount Group based on information CBP said "reasonably indicates" the use of forced labor.
Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., sent a letter to Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick demanding information on its involvement with a Chinese company on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List.
As customs brokers and importers respond to sudden changes in U.S. trade compliance regulations, the trade will need to come up with new models that can allow companies to be nimble when those changes trickle down to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, trade expert Cindy Allen said recently at the Automotive Industry Action Group's North American Customs and Trade Town Hall on Nov. 6 in Detroit.