How the Trump administration chooses to define transshipment has the potential to redefine the current trading system with Southeast Asian countries, trade lawyers said. The recent trade deal framework with Vietnam contained a 40% tariff rate for "transshipped" goods, which is a different approach than previously employed for transshipment (see 2507080028).
CBP has detained train car components from China intended for use by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, according to reporting by NBC10 Boston. In May, CBP seized imports of car shells and other components made by Chinese state-owned company CRRC, under suspicion that the company violated the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. CRRC MA, the Massachusetts-based subsidiary of CRRC, issued a statement saying that the company has "maintained rigorous compliance reviews of all suppliers and confirms that no entity involved in these shipments is linked to any violation" of UFLPA, according to the TV station's report. The statement said that CRRC MA has been "providing documentation to CBP to demonstrate full compliance," the station reported.
CBP unlawfully excluded importer Agri Spray Drones' entries of drone controllers without explanation, the importer argued in a June 30 complaint at the Court of International Trade (Agri Spray Drones v. United States, CIT # 25-00141).
The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force failed to undertake a transparent process in considering exporter Ninestar's application for delisting from the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, Ninestar told the Court of International Trade on June 26. Ninestar said FLETF's process was neither "fair, transparent," nor "productive," and led the task force to ignore its obligations and the company's rights under the Administrative Procedure Act (Ninestar Corp. v. United States, CIT # 23-00182).
As CBP continues to ramp up enforcement of U.S. import compliance, one issue some industry experts want CBP to address is what the agency's increased enforcement means for the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, or CTPAT, according to comments from panelists during a June 27 session of a conference sponsored by the American Association of Exporters and Importers.
Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee asked the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to brief them on what it is going to do to combat the Chinese government's transfers of Uyghur workers to other provinces, thereby avoiding the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act ban on imports. They also asked what is the interagency task force's "plan for engagement with the private sector to improve compliance with the UFPLA."
A report on forced labor in critical mineral supply chains identified "major entities" operating in the Xinjiang province of China and documented evidence of their involvement in labor transfer programs of Uyghurs from the region. The report also highlighted the risk that products made by those entities have entered the global market over the previous two years.
CBP's Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee will be holding its quarterly meeting on June 18 in Washington, D.C., according to a Federal Register notice.
Chinese companies on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List are establishing subsidiaries away from Xinjiang to avoid U.S. scrutiny, risk intelligence firm Kharon said May 20.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the weeks of March 17-23, March 23-30, March 31 - April 6, April 7-13, April 14-20 and April 21-27: