EUROPEAN UNION ANNOUNCES NEW FORCED LABOR RULE The European Union (EU) announced March 5th that a deal had been reached on a new rule set regarding forced labor. Specifically, this new rule will ban imports suspected of being made with forced labor, outlining how the EU will investigate and penalize [...]
At a February 28th congressional hearing, the FMC confirmed the final rule surrounding unreasonable carrier conduct can be expected to arrive in “the next couple of months.” This rule will come during a time of increased enforcement by the FMC as they have been closely watching surcharges related to the [...]
The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) recently released the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule. The SOE updates the USDA's organic regulations while strengthening oversight and enforcement for organic products including production, handling, and sale. It also implements 2018 Farm Bill requirements, incorporates industry requests for organic regulation updates, [...]
A recent ruling by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) may have implications for container transport within the U.S. As a result of this ruling, ocean carriers were ordered to cease requiring cargo owners and their truckers use specific chassis for shipper-controlled transportation. The ruling responds to Ocean Carriers [...]
A GUIDE FOR THE PUBLIC: HOW CBP SETS BOND AMOUNTS The U.S. Customs Border Protection (CBP) agency recently released a Guide for the Public: How CBP Sets Bond Amounts updating the 1991 Directive - Monetary Guidelines for Setting Bond Amounts. The revised publication is an effort to update and standardize CBP's bond policy [...]
WEEK-LONG RAIL STRIKE German rail workers are in the midst of a week-long nationwide strike over working conditions and pay disputes. The Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer (GDL) initiated the strike. Spanning from January 23 to January 29, 2024, the labor action involves locomotive drivers, dispatchers, and other transport sector employees. [...]
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has scheduled an informal public hearing on February 7, 2024, to investigate the impact of conditions in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden regions on global supply chains and commercial shipping. The hearing aims to facilitate communication between stakeholders in the supply chain and [...]
ZERO-EMISSIONS REPORTING EXTENDED The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has granted heavy-duty truck owners and operators - including drayage vehicles - an extra month to complete their 2023 reporting for the Clean Truck Check program. The new deadline for entering information into the Clean Truck Check-Vehicle Inspection System (CTC-VIS) [...]
The Panama Canal and the Suez Canal are important maritime passageways in the global supply chain. Strategically located to facilitate efficient trade, these canals act as connectors between major trading zones. The Panama Canal links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, offering a faster route for vessels navigating between North and [...]
The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) recently announced an additional extension of 77 COVID-related exclusions. Originally set to expire in December 2023, the relief granted by these exclusions will now end in May 2024. Items excluded from Section 301 tariffs levied on imports from China include some [...]
