In response to the use of forced labor in China, Congress passed the ‘Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act’ in December 2021. The bill gives Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the authority to hold shipments of products suspected of being produced with forced labor or containing components made with forced labor. The new law shifts the burden of proof to the manufacturer, who must show the product does not violate the ban on the use of forced labor.
The U.S. imports an estimated $63 billion in apparel, fabrics, sporting goods, and toys from China annually. Unfortunately, the CBP has not provided much guidance to date, but plans to publish its implementation strategy on June 21, 2022, the same day the law goes into effect. Please find more information in this Bloomberg article.
SFIA fully supports the new laws to limit the use of forced labor in the manufacturing of consumer goods. For more information, please contact Bill Sells, SVP Government Relations & Public Affairs, at [email protected].