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Archive for the ‘Supply Chain’ Category

U.S. Trade Deficit Narrows to a Nearly Three-Year Low in August

News, Supply Chain, United States

October 5, 2023

WASHINGTON (International Trade Council) – The United States trade deficit showed a more significant contraction than anticipated in August, primarily driven by a solid increase in exports. This development is expected to bolster economic growth in the third quarter. According to the Commerce Department’s report on Thursday, the trade deficit shrank by 9.9% to […]

Canada Records Surprising Trade Surplus in August, Rebounding After Port Disruptions

Canada, News, Supply Chain

October 5, 2023

OTTAWA (International Trade Council) – Canada reported an unexpected trade surplus of C$718 million ($521.88 million) in August, marking a swift recovery in trade following labor strikes that led to port closures on the West Coast, according to data released on Thursday. Statistics Canada revealed that higher crude prices and gold transfers to the United […]

US Financial CHOICE Act (2022) – Effects on Bond-Market Supply Chain Disclosures

October 4, 2023

US Financial CHOICE Act (2022) – Effects on Bond-Market Supply Chain Disclosures

Since its passage in July 2022, the Financial CHOICE Act has subtly but unmistakably shifted the landscape for bond issuers in the United States. While the Act was, at first glance, positioned as part of a broader effort to streamline financial regulation and promote market stability, a closer reading—and certainly, its early implementation—reveals a notable […]

India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission (2021) – Supply Chain Prioritization

September 20, 2023

India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission (2021) – Supply Chain Prioritization

Since its launch in 2021, India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission has generated a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty across the clean-tech sector. The mission, designed to position India as a leading producer and exporter of green hydrogen, places heavy emphasis on building transparent, resilient supply chains for the technologies that underpin this emerging industry. Electrolyzer […]

US Soybean Biodiesel Blend Mandate (RFS2 2018 & EPA 2022) – Supply Chain Adjustments

September 6, 2023

US Soybean Biodiesel Blend Mandate (RFS2 2018 & EPA 2022) – Supply Chain Adjustments

The Environmental Protection Agency’s 2022 revisions to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) have brought a sharper, and arguably overdue, focus on the traceability of soybean oil used in biodiesel production. While the broad outlines of the RFS2, introduced back in 2018, were familiar to most stakeholders, these latest adjustments—particularly the call for explicit, documented traceability—are […]

EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) Enforcement Evaluation (2020–2022)

August 23, 2023

EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) Enforcement Evaluation (2020–2022)

The 2022 enforcement data for the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) offered, if nothing else, a stark reminder that regulatory vigilance in timber supply chains is no longer theoretical. For wood product distributors and importers, the penalties imposed during the 2020–2022 period painted a picture that was, depending on one’s perspective, either overdue or somewhat harsh. […]

US Blue Food Labeling and Sustainability Act (2021) – Seafood Traceability

August 9, 2023

US Blue Food Labeling and Sustainability Act (2021) – Seafood Traceability

The Blue Food Labeling and Sustainability Act, introduced in the US Senate back in 2021, marked a curious yet inevitable evolution in food labeling policy. For years, various advocacy groups had lobbied for a way to help consumers distinguish between seafood sourced responsibly and that harvested in ways less kind to marine ecosystems. The bill, […]

Japan’s Act on Promotion of CSR in Natural Resource Sectors (2021) – Early Implementation

July 26, 2023

Japan’s Act on Promotion of CSR in Natural Resource Sectors (2021) – Early Implementation

Japan’s Act on Promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility in Natural Resource Sectors, enacted in 2021, quietly introduced what is proving to be a notable shift in how firms—particularly in high-tech industries—are expected to manage the social and environmental risks embedded in their raw material supply chains. While not as headline-grabbing as some other regulatory frameworks, […]

Canada’s Modern Slavery Act (2018) – First Orders to Produce Statements (2023)

July 12, 2023

Canada’s Modern Slavery Act (2018) – First Orders to Produce Statements (2023)

Canada’s Modern Slavery Act, passed quietly in 2018, began to show its sharper teeth in 2023. For the first time, Canadian courts issued orders compelling companies—some large, some perhaps caught off guard—to produce modern slavery statements. This development, anticipated by some and surprising to others, signals that the enforcement phase of the legislation is no […]

US Egypt Free Trade Agreement (2004) Renegotiation (2022) & Enhanced Supply Chain Provisions

June 28, 2023

US Egypt Free Trade Agreement (2004) Renegotiation (2022) & Enhanced Supply Chain Provisions

When the US-Egypt Free Trade Agreement was first signed back in 2004, few could have predicted how radically the conversation around supply chain transparency would shift over the following two decades. The agreement was functional, if somewhat conventional, focusing largely on tariff reductions and basic market access provisions. But the 2022 renegotiation of the FTA—finalized […]

EU Conflict Minerals Regulation (2017) – Lessons Learned in Electronics Sector (2022)

June 14, 2023

EU Conflict Minerals Regulation (2017) – Lessons Learned in Electronics Sector (2022)

When the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation came into force in 2017, the electronics sector was among the industries most directly affected. It’s perhaps no surprise. The very components that power our modern devices—tiny yet critical—are often the ones most entangled in complex, opaque supply chains. From 2017 through 2022, regulators, companies, and civil society groups […]

International Trade Council Responds To Port Of Seattle Closure

Logistics, News, Supply Chain

June 12, 2023

The International Trade Council (ITC) is deeply concerned over the ongoing labor dispute at the Port of Seattle that has led to its closure. The disruption is the result of an unresolved labor conflict involving the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). The Port of Seattle, a crucial hub for U.S. agricultural exports, forms part […]

Australia’s Modern Slavery Act (2018) – First Auditor General’s Report (2022)

May 31, 2023

Australia’s Modern Slavery Act (2018) – First Auditor General’s Report (2022)

When Australia’s Modern Slavery Act came into force in 2018, it was heralded as a major step toward eradicating forced labor and exploitation from corporate supply chains. Yet, as with many such regulatory frameworks, the real test came later—when companies began filing statements and regulators assessed whether those statements amounted to more than just well-meaning […]

US Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Tariffs (2018) – Supply Chain Fallout Survey (2022)

May 17, 2023

US Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Tariffs (2018) – Supply Chain Fallout Survey (2022)

When the US government imposed Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports back in 2018, the policy was framed, officially at least, as a national security measure. It was about preserving the integrity of critical domestic industries, or so the argument went. But nearly from the outset, economists, manufacturers, and policymakers began to debate—sometimes […]

EU Waste Framework Directive Update (2018) – Municipal Supply Chain Transparency (2022)

May 3, 2023

EU Waste Framework Directive Update (2018) – Municipal Supply Chain Transparency (2022)

When the European Union revised the Waste Framework Directive in 2018, the goals were ambitious. It wasn’t just about encouraging higher recycling rates or reducing landfill dependency—though those were part of it. The real push, or at least what became clearer over time, was toward supply chain transparency at the municipal level. By 2022, this […]

India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) Restrictive Rules of Origin (2021) – Textile Sector Impacts

April 19, 2023

India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) Restrictive Rules of Origin (2021) – Textile Sector Impacts

India’s textile industry has long navigated a complex web of trade agreements, preferential tariffs, and shifting global demand. With the 2021 revisions to Rules of Origin (ROO) under its FTAs—particularly the agreements with the UK and the UAE—the complexity has deepened. The shift to stricter yarn-forward rules, while not unexpected, has caused significant recalibration among […]

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