The imposition of Section 301 Phase 3 tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, which took effect in September 2019, triggered what can only be described as one of the most dramatic—and, in some cases, hasty—supply chain reconfigurations in recent history. Electronics manufacturers and apparel brands, already grappling with thin margins and competitive pressures, […]
When the U.S. Task Force on Supply Chain Resilience released its initial report in June 2020, just a few months after its hurried formation in February of that year, the urgency of its mandate was clear. The pandemic had exposed painful gaps in the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators, and while the […]
With the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation set to take effect on January 1, 2021, the preparatory period leading up to that date became a critical phase for electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their supply-chain compliance teams. This was not the first time manufacturers had faced such regulatory obligations, of course, but the EU’s approach—with […]
The launch of the U.K. Slavery and Human Trafficking (SHT) Transparency Register in April 2020 marked a new phase in the country’s efforts to promote corporate accountability in addressing modern slavery risks. For many retailers and manufacturers, this development was long anticipated, but the reality of interacting with a live, public-facing portal brought with it […]
The passage of the CARES Act on March 27, 2020, introduced a host of new requirements and expectations for businesses benefiting from federal relief during one of the most disruptive economic periods in modern history. Among these was a stipulation that recipients of certain grants and loans report on supply chain disruptions—an element that, at […]
The 2020 reporting cycle for Canada’s Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act (ESTMA) brought with it a unique and, in some respects, unexpected development. As mining companies and other extractive firms submitted their annual disclosures, a new category of payments began to feature in their reports—community support contributions made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This […]
With the May 2021 enforcement date for the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation (MDR) drawing closer, manufacturers across the medical device sector have been taking stock of what the transition truly entails. The MDR, adopted back in 2017 but only now nearing full application, introduces a range of enhanced requirements. Among them, none perhaps is […]
The introduction of the U.K. Environment Bill in January 2020 signaled a decisive shift in how the government plans to regulate packaging waste and resource efficiency across fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and beverage industries. While the Bill itself remains under parliamentary consideration, its proposed provisions on extended producer responsibility (EPR) have already prompted companies to […]
The signing of Executive Order 13920 on January 25, 2020, represented a clear policy shift toward tighter domestic sourcing requirements in the name of national security and economic resilience. Intended to fortify critical infrastructure sectors, the order reinforces and expands the Buy America framework by placing greater emphasis on local content requirements for materials such […]
The passage of Bill C-68, culminating in Royal Assent in June 2019, marked a significant development in Canada’s ongoing Oceans Protection Plan, particularly in how it intersects with supply chain transparency for marine-based industries. For fisheries and offshore energy firms, the implications of this legislative shift are slowly but surely becoming clearer as the focus […]
The enforcement of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) has evolved in ways that few industry participants might have anticipated when the law first came into force in 2013. By the first half of 2019, authorities across member states had noticeably intensified their scrutiny of timber imports, particularly those originating from regions with well-documented risks of […]
The passage of the U.S. FAIR Shipping Act in December 2019 marked an important, if somewhat underappreciated, development in the long-standing effort to introduce greater transparency into maritime freight operations. While the legislation attracted less public attention than some other trade measures of the year, those involved in shipping, port management, and logistics understood its […]
When the European Union revised Regulation 1107/2009 on the approval of pesticides in 2019, exporters of agricultural products to the EU found themselves facing a quietly disruptive shift. The core of the amendment centered around stricter enforcement on maximum residue limits (MRLs), particularly for cereals, fruits, and other high-volume imports where prior tolerances had been […]
The passage of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill marked a significant turning point for the agricultural sector, particularly in relation to hemp. With hemp officially removed from the list of Schedule I controlled substances, the plant and its derivatives—whether destined for CBD extraction or industrial fiber—entered a regulatory limelight few could have anticipated a decade […]
By 2019, the U.K. Modern Slavery Act, introduced in 2015, had begun to show more visible signs of traction across industries, particularly in the retail and manufacturing sectors. According to Home Office data released that year, there was a marked 30% increase in modern slavery statements filed by companies—an indication that businesses were not only […]
The European Commission’s 2019 update to Regulation 1223/2009 served as a critical reminder to cosmetics manufacturers and importers that the EU’s animal testing ban is not just symbolic—it’s enforceable and expanding in scope. This clarification addressed lingering ambiguities about imported ingredients and components tested on animals outside the EU, making it clear that any product […]