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DHS posted the Forced Labor Enforcement Strategy document from the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force on June 17. The document was required under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which creates a rebuttable presumption that as of June 21 goods connected to the Xinjiang region in China are made with forced labor. Included in the document is "comprehensive assessment of the risk of importing goods mined, produced, or manufactured, wholly or in part, with forced labor," the task force said. Also included is an "evaluation and description of forced-labor schemes, UFLPA-required lists (including the UFLPA Entity List), UFLPA-required plans, and high priority sectors for enforcement."

FORT LAUDERDALE -- A recent update to internal CBP guidance on prior disclosures significantly shortens the time frame importers and brokers have to gather information on potential violations by making it more difficult to request extensions for more time to perfect the disclosure, customs lawyer Jennifer Diaz of Diaz Trade Law said during a recent panel discussion.

CBP's operational guidance for importers about complying with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (see 2206140037) left too many importer subjects unanswered, the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) Forced Labor Working Group said in a document released ahead of the June 29 COAC meeting. "While CBP’s Importer Guidance provides general information, it disappointingly does not reflect incorporation of the many practical recommendations that have been submitted over the years," the group said. "CBP must increase transparency, engagement, and communication, early and often, with the Trade community regarding the current process for enforcement as well as the detention or release of goods believed to be linked to forced labor."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit held in a June 16 opinion that window covering manufacturer Springs Window Fashions did not illegally fire customs broker Jennifer Lam-Quang-Vinh over her position that the company had to pay Section 301 China tariffs. Judges Diane Sykes, Michael Brennan and Michael Scudder said that the record evidence does not support Lam's position that she was fired in retaliation (Jennifer Lam-Quang-Vinh v. Springs Window Fashions, 7th Cir. #21-2665).

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Delays drawback filers are seeing in claims processing are related to a variety of factors, including a reorganization of CBP’s drawback staff and understaffing at certain key drawback centers, but importers can follow certain best practices to speed the process along, CBP officials and drawback experts said during a panel discussion June 15.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced that it is accepting requests to participate in an upcoming “beta” pilot for “e-filing” of its PGA message set on certificate of compliance data. The agency will accept as many as 50 participants, with a subset of nine importers and brokers that will begin working with the agency early to develop the IT infrastructure necessary for pilot filing, it said in a June 10 final rule.

A new report from Sheffield Hallam University researchers alleges that about 25% of flooring sold in the U.S. includes PVC, a type of plastic, made in China, and that "the lion's share" of the resins come from China's Xinjiang Uyghur region.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told an audience at the American Association of Exporters and Importers conference June 15 that his discussion draft of a Customs modernization bill elicited some consternation, but that it was shared because he was trying to figure out "how do we get stakeholders in a good place so that we can have a customs modernization package?"

FORT LAUDERDALE -- With one week remaining, importers find themselves in the position of having to already comply with still unreleased policies as CBP begins enforcement of the rebuttable presumption under the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act, speakers said June 14 at a conference. The rebuttable presumption takes effect on June 21.