The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) established a strong stance against forced labor by setting a rebuttable presumption that goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or partially in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China are made with forced labor.
Under Section 307 of the Tariff Act, these goods are prohibited from importation into the United States. Since its enforcement over two years ago, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has examined over 9,000 shipments under the UFLPA, emphasizing the need for rigorous compliance from importers.
The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), a multi-agency group chaired by Homeland Security, is responsible for ensuring that goods linked to forced labor do not enter the U.S. market. In its latest update, the FLETF identified three additional high-priority sectors for enforcement: polyvinyl chloride, aluminum, and seafood.
These are added to the existing sectors: apparel, cotton and cotton products, silica-based products (including polysilicon), and tomatoes. Importers are now urged to thoroughly review their supply chains and focus due diligence on these high-priority sectors to prevent any links to forced labor.
The FLETF has also expanded the UFLPA Entity List, which now includes 68 entities involved in or associated with forced labor practices in the XUAR. Importers must be aware that goods produced by these entities are barred from entering the United States unless clear and convincing evidence is presented that proves no forced labor was involved in their production. As part of its strategy, the FLETF is enhancing its process for identifying entities for the Entity List and employing new technology and analytical models to improve enforcement capabilities.
For importers, staying compliant is more important than ever. The expansion of the UFLPA Entity List and the focus on new high-priority sectors underline the importance of due diligence in supply chain management.
Argents Express is committed to keeping its clients informed of these developments and will provide updates as more information becomes available. If you want to protect your business from supply chain disruptions due to forced labor regulations, choose Argents as your logistics partner.
