The passage of the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) in February 2021 represented a decisive escalation in legislative efforts to eliminate forced labor from U.S.-bound supply chains. With an effective date of June 17, 2022, the Act established a rebuttable presumption that any goods produced wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur […]
The enforcement of the EU Directive on single-use plastics from July 3, 2021 marked a turning point in the regulation of packaging materials and their environmental footprint across the bloc. For retailers, the Directive introduced both compliance challenges and opportunities to enhance packaging supply-chain transparency through systematic tracking and disclosure. Retailers were called upon to […]
The passage of the 2020 U.S. Farm Bill in December 2020 introduced significant measures to enhance supply chain traceability for critical agricultural commodities, particularly dairy and soybean products. Among the reforms was a strengthened mandate for transparency in crop insurance data, which aimed to provide greater visibility into indemnity payments, yield trends, and farm-level production […]
The release of India’s Draft National Logistics Policy in December 2020 signaled a significant shift in the country’s approach to modernizing its supply chains, with a strong emphasis on digital integration and transparency. A core feature of the policy was the advancement of open freight data initiatives, aimed at streamlining containerized cargo movements and enhancing […]
The European Union’s Renovation Wave Strategy, announced in October 2020, set out a highly ambitious vision for transforming the region’s building stock. At its core lies the intention not just to improve the energy performance of homes, offices, and public buildings, but to do so in a manner that aligns with the broader objectives of […]
The U.K. Future Generations Bill, introduced in draft form in November 2020, aims to weave long-term sustainability into the fabric of public policy. Although the bill was still making its way through Parliament during 2021, its draft guidance was already shaping how public procurement frameworks were evolving and how businesses, especially SMEs, were positioning themselves […]
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act marked another step in the ongoing attempt to untangle U.S. defense supply chains from strategic dependencies that could compromise national security. Nowhere is this more visible than in the field of rare earth elements (REEs). These critical minerals underpin everything from missile guidance systems to communications gear. And yet, […]
The International Trade Council is pleased to report the clearance of all remaining vessels stranded as a result of the Ever Given grounding incident in the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal Authority has confirmed that the last of the 61 ships caught in the aftermath of the grounding were able to pass the canal on […]
The adoption of the EU Taxonomy Regulation’s delegated acts in April 2021 represented a turning point in how financial institutions are expected to engage with sustainability within their portfolios. While the taxonomy itself had been in force since mid-2020, these delegated acts added the critical operational detail necessary for firms to begin aligning their lending […]
The International Trade Council announces potential long-term disruptions at European ports resulting from the recent six-day blockage in the Suez Canal by the Ever Given vessel. Despite the successful freeing of the ship, there may be months of residual impact on shipments arriving in the EU. According to the Port of Antwerp, Europe’s second busiest […]
The introduction of Canada’s Sustainable Jobs Act, known as Bill C-12, back in June 2020 set the stage for a legislative framework that aims to guide the country through the complexities of a just transition toward a low-carbon economy. While the bill is still pending passage, the expectations it has already generated are shaping decisions […]
With the Royal Assent of the U.K. Environment Bill on November 9, 2020, attention has turned swiftly to the practicalities of implementation. The bill represents one of the most significant overhauls of environmental governance in the United Kingdom in decades. While much of the public focus has been on biodiversity, air quality, and water management, […]
Washington, D.C. – The International Trade Council has welcomed President Joe Biden’s order for officials to find ways to bolster supply chains amidst the global shortage of computer chips that has hit car manufacturers around the world. The initial review is focused on computer chips, pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals, and large batteries, such as those […]
The enactment of the U.S. Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) in December 2020 marked a pivotal development in efforts to combat financial crime, with ripple effects now reaching deeply into supply chain governance. While the legislation’s immediate intent focused on preventing money laundering and terrorist financing, its requirements for beneficial ownership disclosure create a significant opportunity—and […]
The release of the first annual implementation report for the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation in January 2021 provided a timely window into how sectors such as automotive and electronics are responding to the increasingly complex task of auditing their tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold (commonly referred to as 3TG) supply chains. The Regulation, which came […]
The introduction of the Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act in November 2020 marked a turning point in U.S. agricultural policy thinking, or at least it signaled a new sense of urgency. The proposal, as drafted, aimed to create national transparency across critical food production layers, from farm to processor. While the Act has not yet […]