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. 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. At least 570,000 Uighur Muslims are being forced to work in Chinese cotton fields that produce one-fifth of the world's supply, a new report says. 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. Lets Examine. This enhanced enforcement already is underway. 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. These workers were transferred from labor camps in the Xinjiang region of western China, WaPo reported. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All work must be voluntary, and workers must be free to leave work and terminate their employment or other work status with reasonable notice.. Amazon complies with the laws and regulations in all jurisdictions in which it operates, and expects suppliers to adhere to our Supply Chain Standards, Amazon spokesperson Erika Reynoso said in a statement to The Verge. Amazons suppliers are responsible for making Amazon-branded products, such as the Echo, Fire TV, Kindle, the wide range of affordable products sold as part of its Amazon Basics line, and more. The law places the burden of proof on companies to demonstrate that any imports "mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part" in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regionor involving entities. Products linked in whole or in part to these entities will be treated by CBP as having the same prohibitions as any products from the XUAR. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. The UFLPA also requires the interagency Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security, and in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and Director of National Intelligence, to develop and submit to Congress a strategy for supporting CBPs enforcement of Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 with respect to goods, wares, articles, and merchandise produced with forced labor in the Peoples Republic of China. Products made with such labor will be covered by the laws rebuttable presumption, even if they are produced in other regions of China. Apr 9, 2022. The UFLPA includes a process for importers to show via clear and convincing evidence that an imported item from the XUAR or linked to additional listed entities was not mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced labor. In addition to providing such evidence, Section 3(b) of the UFLPA requires (A) compliance with forthcoming guidance under Section 2(d)(6) on due diligence, effective supply chain tracing, and supply chain management measures to ensure that such importers do not import any goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part with forced labor from the Peoples Republic of China, especially from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; and (B) cooperation with CBP in completely and substantively answering inquiries and information requests. The entities to be added to the Entity List in connection with participating in the practice of, accepting, or utilizing forced labor involving Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in the XUAR are: Hoshine Silicon Industry (Shanshan) Co., Ltd. Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co., Ltd. Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. Brands Can't Confidently Say No. The report and process for its preparation also are designed to help CBP improve its capacity to administer the import ban. The list of well-recognized names includes Apple, Nike, Amazon, Samsung, Zara, H&M, Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, Uniqlo, and more. ASPI stated that it had found 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces that are using Uyghur labor transferred from Xinjiang since 2017. Keep in mind also this is part of the problem with China, it is hard for other countries or supply chains to compete with no labor costs. A lock Forced labor has been a central part of China's campaign against the Uighurs for as long as I can remember. The coalition has published an extensive list of brands it claims continue to source from the region, or from factories connected to the forced labour of Uighur people, including Gap, C&A,. 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 rebuttable presumption goes into effect on June 21, 2022. Crypto company Gemini is having some trouble with fraud, Some Pixel phones are crashing after playing a certain YouTube video. Check the below Frequently Asked Questions to see if your questions about UFLPA Enforcement may be answered here. 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. The latest report titled Uyghurs For Sale, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, reveals a vast network of companies complicit in the mass detention of Uyghurs and other Turkic people. Click Share This Page button to display social media links. (LockA locked padlock) Coca-Cola and Nike both pushed back on the NYT report in statements to the Daily Caller, arguing that they did not lobby against the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act or source products from Xinjiang. Build a Morning News Brief: Easy, No Clutter, Free! However, a vast majority of implicated brands and companies have not taken any steps to address their ties to Uyghur forced labor. Any dollar that goes to these brands is a dollar that goes into the factories profiting off of Uyghur forced labor. This statute expands on those earlier efforts and is likely to impact a large number of U.S. companies, non-U.S. companies engaged in manufacturing or distribution in the United States, and other importers. 6256 - Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, DHS Press Release on UFLPA Public Comment Period, Federal Register Notice Seeking Public Comment. It is bothersome that millions of people, including myself, may be owning clothing that are made by modern day slaves. Including the rule announced today, these actions have added 53 parties specifically implicated in human rights abuses of ethnic minorities from Xinjiang, and 15 of these which were implicated in human rights abuses related to forced labor of ethnic minorities from Xinjiang. As for population statistics, China lists Xinjiang's population at 24.5 million, including 12 million Uyghurs and 11 million Chinese as well as one million Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Huai, and other ethnic. (Photo by Anna Fifield/The Washington Post via Getty Images), Nike, Adidas, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are among 83 multinationals that have been linked to forced labor by Uighurs in factories across China, according to a new study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). The Act requires CBP to apply the rebuttable presumption unless the importer can overcome the presumption of forced labor by establishing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the good, ware, article, or merchandise was not mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced labor. Between January 22, 2022, and June 21, 2022, the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force established under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of National Intelligence, will undertake a process that will result in a strategy for supporting enforcement of Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. As always, our focus is on making sure everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and we will continue doing all we can to protect workers in our supply chain, Rosenstock added. Some companies have even advertised their ability to supply Uighur workers through online bookings. In addition, CBP is subject to reporting requirements that likely will discourage easy granting of exceptions. manufacturing also using Uighur workers?https://t.co . This op-ed was originally published by the New York Times on January 20, 2021. Apple found no evidence of forced labor anywhere we operate, a spokesperson told The Information. All Rights Reserved, By submitting your email, you agree to our. 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. 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. Coca-Cola, Nike, Apple, and other corporationsfought to weakenthe bills language, theNew York Timesreported in late November, arguing that the bill would harm the supply chains they rely on in China. CBP has released importer guidance to assist the trade community in preparing for the implementation of the UFLPA rebuttable presumption that goes into effect on June 21, 2022. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2021. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. We call for an immediate end to these violations and pledge to work collaboratively with governments, civil society, unions, and multilateral organizations to achieve this goal., @Nike Shameful that an American brand like yours benefit from the labor of the Uyghurs. Amazon is allegedly employing suppliers in China with links to forced labor, according to a report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a research group owned by the nonprofit watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability (via NBC News). Nike, Adidas, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are among 83 multinationals that have been linked to forced labor by Uighurs in factories across China, according to a new study by the Australian. 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. Preparing for June 21, 2022 (Photo by Anna Fifield/The Washington Post via Getty Images). Two other companies, GoerTek and. Over several years, the group has been subject to a number of human rights abuses within the country, including internment camps, constant surveillance, mass sterilization, and forced labor. Major solar companies including GCL-Poly, East Hope Group, Daqo New Energy, Xinte Energy and Jinko Solar are named in the report as bearing signs of using some forced labor, according to. We take allegations of human rights abuses seriously, including those related to the use or export of forced labor. Many Chinese have called for boycotts,. 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.. A number of countries have also imposed sanctions on Xinjiang, with the US moving ban imports from Xinjiang altogether in December. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Further complicating the matter are Chinas poverty alleviation and pairing assistance programs, some of which forcibly relocate Uyghur and other minorities as laborers outside of Xinjiang. 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. by Steve Miller . The complexity and opacity of supply chains in China will complicate the due diligence process, as some products and materials made with forced labor in Xinjiang are repurposed in intermediary factories elsewhere in China, obscuring their origin. Looking for U.S. government information and services? The ECCHR said that the companies have been complicit "directly or indirectly" in the forced labour of members of the Muslim Uyghur minority in China's Xinjiang province. The Tech Transparency Projectsaid a glass supplier was using forced labor in December; Apple said it had seen no evidence of forced labor. They are grouped into different categories and listed below. All importers are expected to review their supply chains thoroughly and institute reliable measures to ensure imported goods are not produced wholly or in part with convict labor, forced labor, and/or indentured labor (including forced or indentured child labor). However, existing CBP guidance for WROs indicates a demanding standard for documentation and tracing. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP var today = new Date(); var yyyy = today.getFullYear();document.write(yyyy + " "); | Attorney Advertising, Copyright var today = new Date(); var yyyy = today.getFullYear();document.write(yyyy + " "); JD Supra, LLC. For the most up-to-date information on CBPs UFLPA implementation, please see our website at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/forced-labor/UFLPA. Here's the complete list of companies who have not taken steps in agreement with the Call to Action to End Uyghur Forced Labor: Abercrombie & Fitch (Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co., Ruehl No. report from the Tech Transparency Project, including internment camps, constant surveillance, mass sterilization, and forced labor, Tesla faced criticism for opening a showroom in the Xinjiang region, Mark Zuckerberg says Meta now has a team building AI tools and personas, Whoops! , which revealed a vast network of companies complicit in the use of Uyghur forced labor throughout China. The ASPI found that 27 factories across nine Chinese provinces used the labor of Uyghurs forcibly transferred from Chinese-occupied East Turkestan since 2017. You may opt-out by. 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. Companies will have limited time between now and June 21 to identify and manage both legal compliance and business risks. Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State June 21, 2022 Starting today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin to implement the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act's provisions to prohibit imports made by forced labor into the United States of products made in Xinjiang. / Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Written by USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel. These workers were . Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock said the company has confirmed that Lens Technology has not received any labor transfers of Uighur workers from Xinjiang. Apple said it looks for forced labor as part of every assessment it conducts. 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. These categories appear likely to include additional manufacturers and intermediate supply chain participants outside of the XUAR. On the Red Carpet at the 2022 Met Gala . On December 23, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) to prevent goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China from entering the U.S. market. The Biden administration has been vocal about human rights in China and other jurisdictions, and efforts to enforce supply chain ethics appear to have bipartisan support. 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.
