UFLPA Seizes Aluminum and Strikes in France.
Your weekly round-up of supply chain news.
Do your Due Diligence
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has begun detaining products suspected to have originated from forced labor camps in China made of aluminum.
Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in late 2021 which requires companies sourcing materials from China’s Xinjiang region to provide documentation proving the materials were not made in labor camps.
Although Beijing staunchly denies all allegations, the US and other countries are trying to take a stance to prevent forced labor in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
“Companies importing aluminum products, or commodities with aluminum components, should be proactive in ensuring compliance with the UFLPA,” Maersk said in the advisory. “This may include conducting due diligence on their supply chain and implementing compliance programs.”
This will likely affect aluminum being used in automotive parts. The effects on the US market will be small because America imports little primary aluminum from China.
The friction is only increasing between the world’s two largest economies.
Pension? Please!
France is now facing strikes because President Macron plans on reforming pensions. Over the next 50 days, the National Assembly will be discussing the plans.
Port workers’ strikes will close down the terminals in Le Havre today, Tuesday, February 07, and tomorrow, Wednesday, February 08.
We will keep a close eye on the situation and update our clients accordingly.