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. SHARE. The TTP found that three Amazon suppliers Luxshare Precision Industry, AcBel Polytech, and Lens Technology have reportedly used forced labor themselves. 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). He said Apple earlier this year ensured that none of its other suppliers are using Uighur labor transferred from Xinjiang. The Entity List is a tool utilized by BIS to restrict the export, reexport, and transfer (in-country) of items subject to the EAR to persons (individuals, organizations, companies) reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against cotton products and tomato products produced in Xinjiang based on information that reasonably indicates the use of detainee or prison . The report estimates that more than 80,000 Uighurs were transferred to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019. 1307) are not entitled to entry at any of the ports of the United States. 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. (LockA locked padlock) Apples supply chain has previously been linked to forced labor in China. Any dollar that goes to these brands is a dollar that goes into the factories profiting off of Uyghur forced labor. The estimated figure is conservative and the actual figure is likely to be far higher., In factories far away from home, they typically live in segregated dormitories, undergo organised Mandarin and ideological training outside working hours, are subject to constant surveillance, and are forbidden from participating in religious observances, the report summary continued. Save Uyghur Statement on the Xinjiang Police Files and The Faces from Chinas Uyghur Detention Camp, HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP DISMAYED AT IMAMS VISIT TO CHINA, FEARING IT IS BEING USED TO FURTHER PROPAGANDA ABOUT STATE OF UYGHURS, Justice For Alls Save Uyghur Campaign Calls on Assistant Secretary Noyes to Get Uyghurs Released from Thailand, Community Alert For Uyghurs: China Relentlessly Targeting You for its Surveillance Campaign. Numerous sources, including government documents, show that transferred workers are assigned minders and have limited freedom of movement.. In 2022, legal developments look to focus the attention of the business community on ethics in the supply chain and introduce new due diligence and compliance challenges. A number of countries have also imposed sanctions on Xinjiang, with the US moving ban imports from Xinjiang altogether in December. 4 Vocation Skills Education Training Center (VSETC), Tanyuan Technology Co. Ltd. (including five aliases: Carbon Yuan Technology; Changzhou Carbon Yuan Technology Development; Carbon Element Technology; Jiangsu Carbon Element Technology; and Tanyuan Technology Development), Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) and its subordinate and affiliated entities. They added: The tainted global supply chain that results from these practices means that it is now difficult to guarantee that products manufactured in China are free from forced labour., This is a BETA experience. The 83 foreign and Chinese companies that ASPI has identified as directly or indirectly benefiting from the potentially abusive transfer programs for Uighurs include clothing brands such as Adidas, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger and Uniqlo; carmakers such as BMW, General Motors, Jaguar and Mercedes Benz; and tech giants such as Apple, Google, Huawei and Microsoft. Versace Jimmy Choo Michael Kors Chanel Costco Hanes Hermes Gucci Balenciaga Yves Saint Laurent Bottega Veneta Alexander McQueen Kate Spade, BMW General Motors Jaguar Land Rover Volkswagen, Muji Kohls Macys Nordstrom Target Tesco TJ Maxx Marshalls HomeGoods Walmart Sams Club Flipkart Bonobos Walt Disney, Acer ASUS Dell HP Huawei Lenovo LG Microsoft Oppo Samsung Sony Xiaomi Cisco Electrolux. The companies supplied Apple with antennas, cables, and coatings, among other products and services, according to The Information. Dont pretend theres not a problem in America. For the most up-to-date information on CBPs UFLPA implementation, please see our website at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/forced-labor/UFLPA. A Chinese-dominated mining company has procured millions of dollars in American subsidies to extract lithium in the United States - but, given a dearth of U.S. processing capacity, the mineral is likely to be sent to China with no guarantee that the end product would return as . Companies need to implement robust preventative and transparency measures, with their compliance departmentsnot their communications departmentsleading the way. All work must be voluntary, and workers must be free to leave work and terminate their employment or other work status with reasonable notice.. This page was not helpful because the content, Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the Peoples Republic of China, Notice on the Addition of Entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. Photo Uyghur Muslims by the Uyghur Human Rights Project. 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), hereafter referred to as the Act, was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2021. This enhanced enforcement already is underway. While some of the enforcement specifics of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act will be clarified over the next six months, it is clear that grand statements from corporations are no longer enough. As of April 2021, the following global companies and brands are profiting from their use of modern day Uyghur slavery. Apple found no evidence of forced labor anywhere we operate, a spokesperson told The Information. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States. Official websites use .gov ChatGPT Swears It Can Optimize Your Inventory. A lock The United Nations estimates that, since 2017, China has forcibly placed an estimated 1.5 million Uyghur and Turkic Muslims in prison camps across the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. The UFLPA Entity List can be found in the Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People's Republic of China and the Federal Register Notice on the Addition of Entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. Many Chinese have called for boycotts,. Brands Can't Confidently Say No. Almost all global clothing brands are implicated in the use of cotton sourced from Chinese-occupied East Turkestan (Xinjiang) as well. To directly support Save Uyghurs campaign to safeguard fundamental human rights, donate to our cause now. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Apple supplier Lens Technology uses Uighur workers in its factories, according to documents obtained by the Tech Transparency Project. In any future CBP enforcement action related to such merchandise, CBP will take into consideration the fact that you have been provided this notice in determining appropriate administrative remedies. The UFLPA mandates a review and strategy-development process expected to result in the identification of additional parties whose products will be presumed to derive from forced labor and banned from import. Products made with such labor will be covered by the laws rebuttable presumption, even if they are produced in other regions of China. U.S. remote-control maker Universal Electronics Inc told Reuters it struck a deal with authorities in Xinjiang to transport hundreds of Uyghur workers to its plant in the southern Chinese city of . The entities to be added to the Entity List in connection with participating in the practice of, accepting, or utilizing forced labor involvingUyghurs and otherMuslim minority groups in the XUAR are: This Entity List rule supplements other Entity List designations in October 2019, June 2020, and July 2020. Looking for U.S. government information and services? The tech industry at large relies on suppliers in China, and The Information reports that these companies have also worked with Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook, among others. Following a public comment period, the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force will describe how companies can adequately demonstrate that their imports originating from China are not made with forced labor. LockA locked padlock 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. In addition to alleging Amazons use of suppliers connected to forced labor, the TTP also found a number of accounts selling Xinjiang-sourced cotton, the sale of which has been banned by the US government last year. These categories appear likely to include additional manufacturers and intermediate supply chain participants outside of the XUAR. DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations. This report estimates that more than 80,000 Uyghurs were transferred out of Xinjiang to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019, and some of them were sent directly from detention camps, a summary of the report said. Call To House Republicans On Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Middleman Investigation. Thus far, the U.S. government has deployed Withhold Release Orders (WROs), export control restrictions pursuant to the Entity List, and sanctions designations under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which have targeted several large Chinese companies including the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), as well as categories of products. U.S. officials said the Labor Department had seen a nearly 70% increase in child labor violations since 2018, including in hazardous occupations. In advance of June 21st, CBP will be issuing letters to importers identified as having previously imported merchandise that may be subject to the Act to encourage those importers to address any forced labor issues in their supply chains in a timely manner. Chinas population of Uyghurs, the countrys Muslim ethnic minority, is largely concentrated in the Xinjiang region of China. For more information, visitwww.bis.doc.gov. The Act establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region 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) of the Act, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States. "Apple has zero tolerance for forced labor," Rosenstock said. DHSs New Criminal Enforcement Initiative to Prosecute Corporations for Forced Labor, Slavery in Supply Chains: CBP Petitions Raise New Forced Labor Compliance Risks, Recent DOJ Action Creates Uncertainty for Information-Sharing Programs, NLRB Invalidates Common Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Clauses in Severance Agreements, U.S. Attorneys Offices Adopt New Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). 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. This situation poses new risksreputational and legalfor companies and consumers purchasing goods from China, as products made in any part of the country, not just in Xinjiang, may have passed through the hands of forced labourers, the authors said. 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.. The ASPI found that 27 factories across nine Chinese provinces used the labor of Uyghurs forcibly transferred from Chinese-occupied East Turkestan since 2017. Forced labor has been a central part of China's campaign against the Uighurs for as long as I can remember. Do not buy products made with the tears of modern-day Uyghur slaves. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. 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. We take allegations of human rights abuses seriously, including those related to the use or export of forced labor. 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. Companies doing business in China should consider the following to prepare for the new requirements. The report and process for its preparation also are designed to help CBP improve its capacity to administer the import ban. It is a deep concern that I have learned Nike is a recipient of Chinese products manufactured using enslaved labor by forced transfer of Uyghur workers from East Turkestan (Xinjiang) to labor camps in different parts of the country. Specifically, this will include: (i) a list of entities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region that mine, produce, or manufacture wholly or in part any goods, wares, articles and merchandise with forced labor; (ii) a list of entities working with the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to recruit, transport, transfer, harbor or receive forced labor or Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz or members of other persecuted groups out of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; (iv) a list of entities that exported products described in clause (iii) from the Peoples Republic of China into the United States [being products mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by entities on the list required by clause (i) or (ii)]; (v) a list of facilities and entities that source material from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region or from persons working with the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region or the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for purposes of government labor scheme that uses forced labor. The programs target the countrys Muslim minority population, particularly Uyghurs living in Xinjiang. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. Looking for the presence of forced labor is part of every supplier assessment we conduct, including surprise audits, spokesman Josh Rosenstock told Apple. Most companies will require advance planning to assess the risks posed by the UFLPA and develop the compliance and due diligence mechanisms that will be needed to monitor supply chains and commercial partners. Demand Nike and other listed companies to stop sourcing their products from Uyghur forced labor. 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. 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,. 1307) to prevent the importation into the United States of goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part with forced labor in the Peoples Republic of China. This will involve opportunities for public comment and ultimately a report to Congressional committees by June 21, 2022 (the Task Force Strategy Report). Primark has been involved in child labor and modern slavery scandals before. There are watchtowers with cameras pointed in all directions and high barbed wire fences atop the walls. However, a vast majority of implicated brands and companies have not taken any steps to address their ties to Uyghur forced labor. Several Apple suppliers may have used forced labor in China, according to The Information. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS In January, the Trump administration said China was committed genocide against the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang.. Questions regarding UFLPA may be submitted to UFLPAInquiry@cbp.dhs.gov. In one case, a batch of graduates from a so-called vocational training center in south Xinjiang were transferred directly to a factory in the eastern Anhui province, according to a government report. Workers can be jailed for refusing to join the work programs, the report says, and those enrolled in the programs are often moved far from their homes. In a spring 2020 report report titledUyghurs For Sale, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute found that at least 83 popular, household-name brands are potentially directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur workers outside Xinjiang through abusive labour transfer programs as recently as 2019.. Democrats and Republicans did something remarkable this week: They agreed on something. While some industries may have experience with conflict minerals, blood diamonds or child labor, not all compliance and ethics programs are designed to look at supply chain risks. 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. Companies in the labor transfer program are often in labor-intensive industries, so they asked: is the growing and labor-intensive P.P.E. The presumption applies unless the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determines that the importer of record has complied with specified conditions and, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods, wares, articles, or merchandise were not produced using forced labor. 6256 - Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, DHS Press Release on UFLPA Public Comment Period, Federal Register Notice Seeking Public Comment. An investigation by the Associated Press published in June found that the Chinese government is committing demographic genocide against Uighur Muslims through forced abortions, birth control, mass detentions, and imprisonment. 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. Lenovo also pointed to a 2018 audit by the Reliable Business Alliance in which OFILM scored very well. The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added five Chinese entities to the Entity List for accepting or utilizing forced labor in the implementation ofthePeoples Republic ofChinas campaign of repression against Muslimminority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region(XUAR). Stop sourcing from Qingdao Taekwang immediately. Whenever we find or receive proof of forced labor, we take action.. On the Red Carpet at the 2022 Met Gala . 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. 925) Adidas Amazon private labels American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Anta Sports Products Ltd. Burberry Group PLC (Burberry) 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. DHS issued a Notice Seeking Public Comments in the Federal Register on January 24, 2022 on methods to prevent the importation of goods produced using forced labor from the People's Republic of China, specifically from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. 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. Official websites use .gov Two top congressional Democrats, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., urged players to drop endorsement deals with Chinese sportswear companies that use cotton from Xinjiang . (See here.) Entities identified in sections (i) and (ii) above may serve as both manufactures and exporters. Many consumers are now boycotting Primark, but the brand is still expanding. Take action against global brands and companies complicit in forced labor by not buying their products. Here are some of the 83 brands listed in the report as being connected to those factories using forced labor. CBP's UFLPA importer guidance is available at CBP.gov. An official website of the United States government. 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. Apple lists both . Meet The Company Bridging Synthetic Biology Innovation With The World Of Insurance To Ensure Safe Food Production, Theres A New Species Of Magic Mushroom - Named After Paul Stamets, Absci Takes Its Generative AI Antibody Design Platform To Europe, Meet The Startup Thats Putting Ice Factories In Shipping Containers For Winn-Dixie Supermarkets. We invited Apple, Esprit, and Fila to respond; they did not. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by . 2023 Vox Media, LLC. WASHINGTON Nike and Coca-Cola are among the major companies and business groups lobbying Congress to weaken a bill that would ban imported goods made with forced labor in China's Xinjiang. The US Department of Commerce said the . Companies will have limited time between now and June 21 to identify and manage both legal compliance and business risks. Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. Ltd. Hoshine Silicon Industry (Shanshan) Co., Ltd., and Subsidiaries. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Abercrombie & Fitch, adidas, Amazon, BMW, Gap, H&M, Inditex, Marks & Spencer, Nike, North Face, Puma, PVH, Samsung and UNIQLO to respond; their responses are provided. According to the researchers, Uighurs, a persecuted ethnic minority from Chinas western Xinjiang region, have been funneled to work in factories in other provinces under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour.. 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. Interagency Convening on Equitable Economic Growth, Workforce Development - Employer Practices, Commerce Department Adds Five Chinese Entities to the Entity List for Participating in Chinas Campaign of Forced Labor Against Muslims in Xinjiang. Many of these companiesprolifically spoke outagainst racial injustice following the death of George Floyd in May. The laws rebuttable presumption means companies whose supply chains touch Xinjiangor utilize Xinjiang-exported laborwill have to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that their products are free of forced labor. 83 global companies and brands are directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur forced laborers in these factories. Zara and Uniqlo owners face investigation over profiting from alleged Uyghur forced labor in China BY Angelina Rascouet, Geraldine Amiel and Bloomberg July 2, 2021, 10:14 AM UTC Leading fashion. It is bothersome that millions of people, including myself, may be owning clothing that are made by modern day slaves. (Photo by Anna Fifield/The Washington Post via Getty Images). The Save Uyghur Campaign would like to recognize BBC News for the release of The, Who Are the Uyghurs and Why Is China Being Accused of Genocide? BBC News, 21, Background Date of Birth: January 6th, 1987 National Identification Number: 652924198701060014 Chinese Official Name: Alimu, General contact / Media queries info@justiceforall.org, 27 E. Monroe St. #700, Chicago IL 60603, USA, , from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, reveals a vast network of companies complicit in the mass detention of Uyghurs and other Turkic people. 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! 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. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Issues Withhold Release Order (WRO): CBP has issued a WRO on silica-based products made by Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., Ltd., a company located in . We will continue doing all we can to protect workers and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect, the spokesperson said. Whenever CBP determines that an exception is appropriate, it is required to make a report to Congressional committees within 30 days. Importers of record will have a path to overcome that rebuttable presumption by showing that the items are not mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced labor and demonstrating other elements of compliance. The Chinese government forcibly relocates Uyghur men and women away from their homes and existing jobs to cotton fields. Companies will need to comply with the law 180 days after its December 23, 2021 enactment.
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