The Biden Administration’s Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) recently increased enforcement efforts against imports from Chinese entities linked to forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.  Twenty-nine (29) companies were added to the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA) Entity List on Friday November 22, 2024, bringing the total number of companies to over 100.  This recent announcement marks the largest expansion of companies on the list of banned entities. The UFLPA presumptively bars goods being imported into the United States from companies on the UFLPA Entity List as part of a broader strategy to counter unfair Chinese trade practices. The law, which President Biden signed in 2021, targets imports from Xinjiang, a region known for producing cotton, tomatoes, and solar-panel components, amid accusations of human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities.

The UFLPA has prompted businesses to scrutinize their supply chains to avoid having shipments blocked, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reporting almost $4 billion in shipments temporarily blocked since the law’s implementation in June 2022.

Husch Blackwell continues to monitor developments relating to the UFLPA. For guidance or questions relating to U.S. customs and trade laws, companies can contact Husch Blackwell’s International Trade and Supply Chain team.