International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
Two apparel trade experts said the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act had a bigger impact on sourcing shifts than this year's trade war, but if the framework agreements with Guatemala and El Salvador turn into full agreements, the duty-free status for qualifying apparel from those countries could make a difference.
Thirteen House Democrats are asking DHS to explain why there have been fewer detentions since March, why no new entities have been added to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List since Jan. 15, and to explain CBP's strategy for enforcing UFLPA in high-priority sectors.
CBP should write a report on whether self-initiation of cases under the Enforce and Protect Act "would allow CBP to pursue more circumvention cases and extend existing investigations deeper into supply chains fully and whether such authority would result in greater enforcement," wrote the Senate Appropriations Committee, in its instructions to CBP as part of its DHS annual appropriations bill. It directed the agency to compile the report within 90 days of the bill's enactment.
Workers' rights activists during a panel discussion this week praised the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act but warned that enforcement is slowing under the Trump administration.
As Chinese auto manufacturers establish outposts in Mexico, U.S. importers will need to ensure that those Chinese manufacturers don't have ties to forced labor situations in the Xinjiang region, supply chain data visibility provider Kharon said in a recent brief.
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.
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.
The Court of International Trade on Nov. 4 granted importer Camel Energy's motion to expedite its case against CBP's detention of two of its battery entries. Judge Claire Kelly, who was assigned to the case on Oct. 29, granted the motion to expedite and said that Camel Energy "may file a proposed briefing schedule" along with a "brief statement of reasons as to why this expedited timeframe is necessary" by Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET (Camel Energy v. United States, CIT # 25-00230).
From January through September of this year, CBP has denied U.S. entry to 5,806 imported shipments, valued at $55.6 million, as a result of enforcing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, according to data recently released by the agency. This is the highest level of denied shipments, compared with the January through September period for fiscal years 2023 and 2024, and represents a much higher proportion of denied shipments to released shipments, though the value of denied shipments is lower.