Fast Fashion Companies Under Investigation for UFLPA Compliance
The House Select Committee on the CCP released an interim report this week on major fast fashion companies, including Nike, Adidas, Shein, and Temu, to assess their compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and use of the de minimis rule. The investigation revealed that Temu and Shein heavily rely on the de minimis exception, allowing them to bypass UFLPA compliance and enter the US market without proper screening. Furthermore, the report says, Temu lacks a compliance system for UFLPA. The investigation is ongoing, with further findings expected. Read the Committee’s Interim Report.
ITC Report on USMCA's Automotive ROO Shows Added Costs
The International Trade Commission (ITC) released a report last week on the economic impact on the USMCA’s rules of origin (ROO) for the automotive industry. Although the ITC says the full impact of USMCA’s ROO may not be apparent until USMCA is fully implemented in 2027, the ROO increased the cost of producing light vehicles in the U.S. and may have helping increase the sales of imports from the rest of the world. But the report also shows that steel and aluminum production in the U.S., Mexico and Canada benefited from ROO. Read the ITC’s 2023 report on USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operation.
WCO Releases Version 4 of Its Data Model, App Included
The World Customs Organization (WCO) released version 4 of the WCO Data Model (DM v4) last week, and it comes with an app. The WCO DM App is a free interactive web-based application providing users the ability to easily view, search, and compare data elements in the WCO DM without having to navigate through multiple platforms. The WCO says the new version resolves data redundancies and data inconsistencies. It provides simplified structures and building blocks to smooth out the learning curve. Read the WCO announcement.