Tim Warren

CBP should take an approach to implementing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act that is different than the current withhold release order regime, the American Association of Exporters and Importers said in comments to DHS. "The solution to forced labor does not lie with seizing goods at time of arrival," the trade group said. "Rather, it lies in timely information about suspected problem parties being shared at the time they are reliably identified."

CBP is working on some new guidance for the withhold release order aimed at silica-based products from Hoshine Silicon Industry in Xinjiang, China (see 2108030026), said Eric Choy, acting executive director of the Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Directorate. Choy and other agency officials spoke on a March 4 webinar that was later posted to the Solar Energy Industries Association website. "We are working through our own administrative procedures here right now to make sure it meets the administrative requirements" to post on the agency's site, he said.

CBP issued a correction to a recent notice that proposed and outlined new data elements meant to help with vetting members of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (see 2202170041). "The document contained information about the CTPAT Portal that was in the process of being updated to meet current modern computing standards and to allow for updates to the minimum-security criteria," the agency said in a notice released March 3. "Due to unforeseen developmental delays, CBP is pausing proposed updates to these internal systems."

Inspections and imports of fresh avocado from Mexico have resumed, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced Feb. 18. The agency previously suspended avocado export program operations in the Mexican state of Michoacan, the only Mexican state currently authorized for the export of avocados, on Feb. 11 after a threatening phone call was received by an APHIS official conducting an inspection (see 2202140039).

CBP is requesting comments on new data elements meant to help with vetting members of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, it said in a notice. "Additional information is being collected based on CTPAT’s new vetting process as the prior vetting process was found to be insufficient in being able to identify violators," the agency said. "Not collecting this information would result in companies that are high risk for committing illegal activity to be allowed into, and continue to be part of, the CTPAT program." CBP’s National Targeting Center found the previous "vetting process to be ineffective in capturing high risk companies," resulting in such companies being "allowed to be CTPAT members and enjoy the many trade facilitation benefits of membership," it said.

CBP is making several adjustments to reduce the impact on trade flows from the ongoing protests on the northern border over Canadian vaccine requirements for truckers, Thomas Overacker, CBP executive director-cargo and conveyance security, said during a Feb. 9 conference call. As part of that, the agency is allowing for diversions and is telling its field offices that "a port mismatch is not grounds for stopping a truck," he said. CBP issued a CSMS message on the subject that said "CBP ports are encouraged to consider maximum flexibility to ensure that legitimate cargo is processed."

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CBP issued a withhold release order on disposable gloves “produced in Malaysia by YTY Industry Holdings Sdn Bhd (YTY Group), including YTY Industry Sdn Bhd, Green Prospect Sdn Bhd, and GP Lumut," the Department of Homeland Security said in a news release Jan. 28. “CBP is entering the new year with a renewed commitment to investigating and enforcing the U.S. prohibition against importing goods made with forced labor,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said. “We will again dedicate significant resources to rooting out the evil and inhumane practices of forced labor.” The WRO took effect Jan. 28. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also "designated the DHS Chief Procurement Officer as the Department’s Senior Accountable Official to prevent forced labor and other forms of human trafficking in all DHS contracts and acquisitions," DHS said.

Imports of palm oil and palm oil products from Sime Darby Plantation in Malaysia may be seized by CBP starting Jan. 28 under a finding that the company uses forced labor, CBP said in a notice. "Through its investigation, CBP has determined that there is sufficient information to support a Finding that Sime Darby Plantation and its subsidiaries are using forced labor on Sime Darby’s plantations in Malaysia to harvest fresh fruit bunches, which are used to extract palm oil and produce derivative products, and that such palm oil and derivative products produced by the company are likely being imported" into the U.S., the agency said. CBP's finding follows a December 2020 withhold release order aimed at the company's palm oil (see 2012300007).

International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.