Trade groups mostly reacted in alarm to the dramatic change in tariffs with every country that is coming this month, whether because of expected retaliation against their exports or, in the case of sectors that are largely supplied by imports, the increase in costs.
The International Labor Organization confirmed cases of forced and child labor in Turkmenistan, according to its report on labor conditions in the country.
Tariffs cause ripple effects throughout the international trade and business communities beyond just the levies on goods at the time of entry, experts said during a Zencargo "Tariff Talk" webinar on March 31.
Robust communication with importers’ suppliers, as well as using publicly available alternative data sets, are two ways that companies can ensure UFPLA compliance, especially in an environment of uncertainty about how much the White House will focus on forced labor in the supply chain, according to speakers participating on two webinars hosted by Kharon last week.
After the economic impact of tariffs takes hold in the U.S. economy, companies will have to employ a mix of "adroit supply chain management" and "begging" for tariff exemptions from the Trump administration, said William Reinsch, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Retail company Forever 21 blamed de minimis for "materially and negatively" impacting its business, in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in a Delaware court. The filing said that "certain non-U.S. retailers that compete with [Forever 21], such as Temu and Shein," have been taking advantage of de minimis to import goods into the U.S. cheaply and thereby "pass significant savings onto consumers."
The Border Trade Alliance asked the Commerce Department to refund duties paid by importers during the brief imposition of tariffs on Mexico and Canada last week.
As the dust settles on the Trump administration's expansion of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, industry and consumer advocacy groups responded with either glowing support or dour predictions of economic ruin.
The National Council of Textile Organizations, joined by its Canadian and Mexican counterparts, urged President Donald Trump not to impose 25% tariffs on imports in the region.
The Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a forum of U.S. and EU consumer organizations, issued a statement Feb. 24 urging the Trump administration to cease threatening tariffs on the European Union.