However, each company and industry will have unique risks and therefore we may see bespoke risk assessments, supply chain ethical goals and resulting due diligence approaches. The report did not document factories using Uyghur labor. Beginning on June 21, 2022, the UFLPA will require U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to presume that all goods from the XUAR and from entities listed pursuant to the UFLPA are made with forced labor and banned from import to the United States under Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Dont accept innocent lives being taken from us., Nike has a long history of standing against bigotry, hatred and inequality in all forms, a Nike spokeswoman said in a May statement. The United Nations estimates that, since 2017, China has forcibly placed an estimated 1.5 million Uyghur and Turkic Muslims in prison camps across the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. The Act establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China, or produced by an entity on a list required by clause (i), (ii), (iv) or (v) of section 2(d)(2)(B) of the Act, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States. Call To House Republicans On Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Middleman Investigation. U.S. remote-control maker Universal Electronics Inc told Reuters it struck a deal with authorities in Xinjiang to transport hundreds of Uyghur workers to its plant in the southern Chinese city of . An investigation by the Associated Press published in June found that the Chinese government is committing demographic genocide against Uighur Muslims through forced abortions, birth control, mass detentions, and imprisonment. It is bothersome that millions of people, including myself, may be owning clothing that are made by modern day slaves. He said Apple earlier this year ensured . ASPI stated that it had found 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces that are using Uyghur labor transferred from Xinjiang since 2017. Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co., Ltd. Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (including three aliases: XPCC; Xinjiang Corps; and Bingtuan) and its subordinate and affiliated entities, Aksu Huafu Textiles Co. (including two aliases: Akesu Huafu and Aksu Huafu Dyed Melange Yarn), Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co., Ltd. (including three aliases: Anhui Hefei Baolongda Information Technology; Hefei Baolongda Information Technology Co., Ltd.; and Hefei Bitland Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd.), Hefei Meiling Co. Ltd. (including one alias: Hefei Meiling Group Holdings Limited), KTK Group (including three aliases: Jiangsu Jinchuang Group; Jiangsu Jinchuang Holding Group; and KTK Holding). A number of companies and brands have been linked to labor forced on Uighur Muslims by the Chinese government, according to multiple reports. In anticipation of the rebuttable presumption becoming effective on June 21, 2022, an implementation strategy and guidance for the trade community will be issued to ensure compliance with the Act. Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which comes into effect on June 21, President Joe Biden's administration assumes anything made even partially in Xinjiang is produced with forced . Since the release of the ASPIs report, numerous companies and brands have released statements regarding their connections to Uyghur forced labor, with some taking direct action to end their complicity in supply chains corrupted by modern day slavery. We hope that by sharing this film we can serve as a catalyst to inspire action against a deep issue in our society and encourage people to help shape a better future.. The entities to be added to the Entity List in connection with participating in the practice of, accepting, or utilizing forced labor involvingUyghurs and otherMuslim minority groups in the XUAR are: This Entity List rule supplements other Entity List designations in October 2019, June 2020, and July 2020. Companies will need to comply with the law 180 days after its December 23, 2021 enactment. For more information, visitwww.bis.doc.gov. However, a vast majority of implicated brands and companies have not taken any steps to address their ties to Uyghur forced labor. The guidance referenced above under Section 2(d)(6) is not expected until closer to June 21, 2022, as part of the Task Force Strategy Report, and thus companies may not know for some time what are the due diligence, effective supply chain tracing, and supply chain management measures that will meet CBP standards. The report listed popular clothing companies Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Gap, Calvin Klein, H&M, L.L.Bean, Lacoste, Nike, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, and Victorias Secret, as well as General Motors, Goertek, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, and more. For othersparticularly complex products with long, disparate supply chainsupgrading supply chain due diligence may require investment and management attention, as the companies may not previously have had a commercial need to track the sources of every upstream component and material. One of the suppliers operated in Xinjiang, the region of China predominantly populated by Uyghurs and where the most egregious human rights violations have reportedly taken place. Apple, whichhas saidthat it is is committed to donating to organizations that challenge racial injustice and mass incarceration, has protested that it rigorously audits companies in its supply chain to make sure that Apples products arent derived from forced labor, saying in a statement to WaPo that Apple has zero tolerance for forced labor.. Several Apple suppliers may have used forced labor in China, according to The Information. The ASPI found that 27 factories across nine Chinese provinces used the labor of Uyghurs forcibly transferred from Chinese-occupied East Turkestan since 2017. As we made clear during this months G7 summit, the United States is committed to employing all of its tools, including export controls, to ensure that global supply chains are free from the use of forced labor and technology is not misused to abuse human rights, said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Six of the seven suppliers were said to participate in work programs operated by the Chinese government, The Information reports, which human rights groups describe as frequently offering cover for forced labor. 925) Adidas Amazon private labels American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Anta Sports Products Ltd. Burberry Group PLC (Burberry) The US Department of Commerce said the . Those factories claim to be part of the supply chain of 83 well-known global brands., The Fair Labor Association has also written a statement calling to an end of all forced labor in East Turkestan: The Fair Labor Association (FLA) is deeply troubled by credible reports of forced labor and other violations of fundamental human rights in the Xinjiang region of China. Several major companies have reportedly fought efforts to end the practice of forced labor specifically the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which passed the House by a vote of 403-6 in September. Even more to the point, how about forced labor right here in the U.S. with our prisons (especially the privatized ones), with our vagrancy laws, our with our use of cheap underpaid and unpaid foreign labor from the very groups that conservatives want to deport unless, of course, these conservatives can make more unbegotten money from their forced labor? They are grouped into different categories and listed below. The problem is not Apples alone. CBP is urging importers to be proactive and closely review their supply chains to ensure any goods or materials are not sourced from the XUAR in violation of the Act. We look forward to seeing a prompt apology and response. The UFLPA mandates a review and strategy-development process expected to result in the identification of additional parties whose products will be presumed to derive from forced labor and banned from import. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Apple supplier Lens Technology uses Uighur workers in its factories, according to documents obtained by the Tech Transparency Project. Here are some of the 83 brands listed in the report as being connected to those factories using forced labor. Official websites use .gov Dont turn your back on racism. Apple and Amazon arent the only US-based companies with ties to Xinjiang and forced labor, either. We have not identified additional exporters at this time but will continue to investigate and gather information about additional relevant entities. 83 global companies and brands are directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur forced laborers in these factories. Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation. In advance of June 21st, CBP will be issuing letters to importers identified as having previously imported merchandise that may be subject to the Act to encourage those importers to address any forced labor issues in their supply chains in a timely manner. The report accuses Amazon of continuing to work with these suppliers, despite evidence of their association with Uyghur labor camps. (LockA locked padlock) Check the documents below for UFLPA Applicability Review best practices, as well as guidance on executive summaries and sample tables of contents for Applicability Review submissions. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 82 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen. The UFLPA Entity List can be found in the Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People's Republic of China and the Federal Register Notice on the Addition of Entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. As the TTP notes, China uses what it calls labor transfers to transport Uyghurs from the Xinjiang region to factories throughout China, forcing them into labor programs the TTP says are often coercive and connected to a network of mass internment and reeducation camps., Five suppliers have been publicly denounced for being connected to the forced labor. The activists named 38 companies which they say, based on credible news investigations and news reports, have products connected to forced Uighur or Turkic Muslim labor. An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. abercrombie & fitch, acer, adidas, alstom, amazon, apple, asus, b ai c motor, bmw, bombardier, bosch, byd, calvin klein, candy, carter's, cerruti 1881, changan automobile, cisco, crrc, The companies supplied Apple with antennas, cables, and coatings, among other products and services, according to The Information. Your companys response to the Washington Post, by your spokesperson has been disappointingly inadequate. (See here.) Companies doing business in China should consider the following to prepare for the new requirements. The UFLPA now would effectively apply the presumption of forced labor to all goods made in the XUAR without the need for CBP to issue WROs. Although state media are claiming Uighurs are being compensated for their work, the ASPI researchersfound they live in segregated dormitories, are unable to go home, and they undergo Mandarin and ideological training outside working hours, similarly to Uighurs in the internment camps. Effective June 21, 2022, in an effort to address forced labor concerns, U.S. law will broadly prohibit imports of products from Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), along with additional companies determined to be related to supply from that region. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. A lock An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Two top congressional Democrats, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., urged players to drop endorsement deals with Chinese sportswear companies that use cotton from Xinjiang . Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The UFLPA will replace the existing case-by-case implementation of WROs on companies operating in and product categories from the XUAR with a broad U.S. import ban and rebuttable presumption of the involvement of forced or otherwise prohibited labor. Following a public comment period, the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force will describe how companies can adequately demonstrate that their imports originating from China are not made with forced labor. CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against cotton products and tomato products produced in Xinjiang based on information that reasonably indicates the use of detainee or prison . He said Apple earlier this year ensured that none of its other suppliers are using Uighur labor transferred from Xinjiang. 6901 note, established a rebuttable presumption that any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of the Peoples Republic of China or produced by an entity on a list required by clause (i), (ii), (iv) or (v) of section 2(d)(2)(B) are prohibited under section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. For the most up-to-date information on CBPs UFLPA implementation, please see our website at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/forced-labor/UFLPA. A Chinese-dominated mining company has procured millions of dollars in American subsidies to extract lithium in the United States - but, given a dearth of U.S. processing capacity, the mineral is likely to be sent to China with no guarantee that the end product would return as . Brands Can't Confidently Say No. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Let the companies know youre using your power as the consumer to advocate for human rights by tagging them in social media and pushing them to address their complicity in Uyghur forced labor. Following near unanimous passage by Congress, President Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which seeks to untangle American supply chains from the forced labor of Uyghurs and other persecuted ethnoreligious minorities in China. Several Apple suppliers may have used forced labor in China, according to The Information. It will place new requirements on a wide range of industries that rely on labor from Xinjiang, especially apparel, automotive, technology, food & beverage, and solar companies. They include. Some companies have even advertised their ability to supply Uighur workers through online bookings. All Rights Reserved, By submitting your email, you agree to our. DHS issued a Notice Seeking Public Comments in the Federal Register on January 24, 2022 on methods to prevent the importation of goods produced using forced labor from the People's Republic of China, specifically from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The companies were listed over human rights violations and abuses of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities, according to a US government filing on Wednesday. Thereport listedpopular clothing companies Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Gap, Calvin Klein, H&M, L.L.Bean, Lacoste,Nike, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, and Victorias Secret, as well as General Motors, Goertek, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, and more. Chinas population of Uyghurs, the countrys Muslim ethnic minority, is largely concentrated in the Xinjiang region of China. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States. Please be aware that this is CBPs importer guidance, which provides transparency to CBPs operational approach, and not the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Forces Strategy, which will provide additional importer guidance, required by the UFLPA. Lop County Meixin Hair Products Co., Ltd. Nanjing Synergy Textiles Co., Ltd. (including two aliases: Nanjing Xinyi Cotton Textile Printing and Dyeing; and Nanjing Xinyi Cotton Textile), No. As of April 2021, the following global companies and brands are profiting from their use of modern day Uyghur slavery. The year 2021 brought supply chain challenges to the center of the national conversation. Written by USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel. These categories appear likely to include additional manufacturers and intermediate supply chain participants outside of the XUAR. This report estimates that more than 80,000 Uyghurs were transferred out of Xinjiang to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019, and some of them were sent directly from detention camps, a summary of the report said. The Chinese government forcibly relocates Uyghur men and women away from their homes and existing jobs to cotton fields. Address: One Bowerman Drive Beaverton, OR 97005. All the companies that responded said they required suppliers to follow strict labor . This action targets these entities ability to access commodities, software, and technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and is part of a U.S. Government-wide effort to take strong action against Chinas ongoing campaign of repression against Muslim minority groups in the XUAR. LockA locked padlock ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Retail giants Nike and H&M are facing a backlash in China after they expressed concern about the alleged use of Uighur forced labour in cotton production. Products made with such labor will be covered by the laws rebuttable presumption, even if they are produced in other regions of China. In March 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) published a report titled Uyghurs For Sale, which revealed a vast network of companies complicit in the use of Uyghur forced labor throughout China. The UFLPA also appears to envision a supply chain compliance program meeting certain minimum standards. Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock said the company has confirmed that Lens Technology has not received any labor transfers of Uighur workers from Xinjiang. We invited Apple, Esprit, and Fila to respond; they did not. The presumption applies unless the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determines that the importer of record has complied with specified conditions and, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods, wares, articles, or merchandise were not produced using forced labor. In a spring 2020 report report titledUyghurs For Sale, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute found that at least 83 popular, household-name brands are potentially directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur workers outside Xinjiang through abusive labour transfer programs as recently as 2019.. While some industries may have experience with conflict minerals, blood diamonds or child labor, not all compliance and ethics programs are designed to look at supply chain risks. They are grouped into different categories and listed below. Demand Nike and other listed companies to stop sourcing their products from Uyghur forced labor. SHARE. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Working with two human rights groups, the publication identified seven companies that supplied. Companies doing business in China, especially those with supply chain touchpoints in Xinjiang, should consider how the new law will affect them. Uighurs placement in factories outside Xinjiang has been conducted under a central government policy known as Xinjiang Aid. Factory bosses receive cash compensations for each Uighur worker they employ. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Put On The Gas. Most companies will require advance planning to assess the risks posed by the UFLPA and develop the compliance and due diligence mechanisms that will be needed to monitor supply chains and commercial partners. . Activists have launched a campaign accusing firms of . Dont pretend theres not a problem in America. Washington - Human rights activists, labor leaders and others urged the White House on Friday to put its weight behind a coming ban on products made with forced labor in the . Workers can be jailed for refusing to join the work programs, the report says, and those enrolled in the programs are often moved far from their homes. Some brands including Adidas, Bosch and Panasonic told ASPI they had no direct contractual relationships with the suppliers indicated in the report, but no one could rule out a link further down their supply chain. Apple . The report and process for its preparation also are designed to help CBP improve its capacity to administer the import ban.
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