On August 26, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that for FY 2021 between October 1, 2020 and August 6, 2021, the agency had detained approximately $368 million ($367,743,052) worth of cargo in relation to forced labor by issuing Withhold Release Orders (WROs). As noted by the agency’s trade statistics, this represented
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Announces Expiration of its Export Allocation Rule on Medical Supplies and Equipment for Covid-19
On July 1, 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the expiration of its Temporary Final Rule (TFR) allocating certain health and medical resources for domestic use. The TFR – originally issued on April 10, 2020 and reissued for a second time on December 31, 2020 – prohibited surgical N95 filter facepiece respirators, personal
CBP Issues Withhold Release Order (WRO) on Certain Silica-Based Products from Xinjiang, PRC
On June 24, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. Ltd. – a silica manufacturing company located in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) – and its subsidiaries on the basis of forced labor in the entity’s manufacturing practices. The WRO instructs CBP personnel
CBP Publishes FAQ Responses to Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region WRO
In light of increased U.S. actions and rising global concerns over reports of forced labor in Xinjiang, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued the following Q&A responses:
General
- What is the scope of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) Withhold Release Order (WRO)?
- Can imported goods within the scope of the WRO be
China Customs Targets Key Industries in Latest Transfer Pricing Enforcement Initiative
Transfer pricing is a major enforcement priority of China Customs in 2020. In April 2020, China Customs launched a national enforcement action to investigate and audit import transactions between related companies. More than 1000 multinational companies have received notices from China Customs requesting information on their transfer pricing policies and activities.
- Who will be impacted?
June 10 Webinar: United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Wednesday,
June 10, 2020
12:30 – 2:00 pm EDT
Please Join Us for a Crowell & Moring Webinar
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) – A Substantial Rewrite of NAFTA or More of the Same?
The USMCA will go into effect on July 1, 2020, and companies should immediately assess how their NAFTA compliance programs
The White House Establishes “Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force” Under Section 741 of USMCA Implementation Act
On May 15, 2020, President Trump issued an executive order establishing the “Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force” required by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) implementing bill. Section 741 of the USMCA Implementation Act requires the Department of Homeland Security the Task Force as the central hub for the U.S. government’s enforcement of the prohibition on imports
USMCA (NEW NAFTA) TO TAKE EFFECT JULY 1, 2020
The Office of the United States Trade Representative has notified the United States Congress that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will enter into force on July 1, 2020. Following the notification to Congress, the United States became the third country to certify to the Parties (Mexico and Canada) that it had completed its domestic procedures
Multinational Companies May Benefit From Chinese Stimulus Programs To Help Mitigate the Economic Impact in China of COVID-19
The central government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as well as provincial and city level governments across the country have announced numerous incentives and supporting measures to assist companies, including wholly foreign owned enterprises (commonly referred to as WFOEs) and Sino-foreign joint ventures, in resuming production and operations that
New Rules Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods Impact E-Commerce
On January 31, 2020, the Trump administration issued an executive order cracking down on U.S. businesses that import directly or facilitate the import of counterfeit or pirated goods, illegal narcotics and other contraband. The order, entitled “Ensuring Safe & Lawful E-Commerce for US Consumers, Business, Government Supply Chains and Intellectual Property Rights,” directs