AAFA Weekly Brief
April 30, 2019


Newsletter at-a-glance

The AAFA/FLA Commitment to Responsible Recruitment has grown to 133 participants. For more information on the Commitment, see AAFA News.

 
Trade
April 30: ... Mnuchin was speaking in Beijing, where he and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will hold talks this week, before Chinese Vice Premier Liu He goes to Washington next week for another round of talks in what could be the end game for negotiations. (Source: Reuters)
 
April 28: ... As Congress returns from recess this week with a full plate of priorities, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and other prominent Democrats have signaled they won’t allow a vote on the administration’s new agreement with Canada and Mexico without certain changes. (Source: Wall Street Journal)
 
April 26: President Trump said on Friday that trade talks between the United States and Japan were “moving along very nicely” and suggested a deal might be reached by late May as he met with Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, at the White House. (Source: New York Times)
 
Centric Software
Supply Chain & Manufacturing
April 30: ... One of China’s biggest supporters in Asia, Cambodia has come under attack by its traditional western partners in recent years for undermining democracy and alleged human-rights violations. (Source: Bloomberg)
 
April 26: Delays have eased at US-Mexico border crossings, but logistics providers warn that it is still slow–going on northbound routes, and that it will take weeks before border dwell times are back to where they were pre-April. (Source: The Loadstar)
 
April 25: ... Over the past few decades, engineers have perfected the art of recycling different materials, from plastic to paper to aluminum ... But until recently, there has not been a good way to recycle clothing into new garments. (Source: Fast Company)
 
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Brand Protection
April 29: Instagram has become a hot bed for fakes – from counterfeit Chanel espadrilles and so-called “Supreme” suitcases to copycat Birkin bags and dead-ringers for the newest offerings from Louis Vuitton.(Source: The Fashion Law)
 
April 26: China continues to engage in “unfair and harmful conduct” that damages US intellectual property rights, despite some limited areas of IP protection reform, the US government announced on Thursday. (Source: South China Morning Post)
 
April 25: U.S. trade officials acknowledged steps by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to curb the sale of counterfeit goods on the Chinese company’s Taobao.com platform but left the e-commerce site on the list of “notorious markets” that the U.S. deems deficient in preventing intellectual-property violations. (Source: Wall Street Journal)
 
April 24: An emerging black market offers Amazon sellers pricey ways to cheat the marketplace and mislead customers, according to documents obtained by BuzzFeed News. (Source: BuzzFeed News)
 
AAFA News
Commitment to Responsible Recruitment update: The AAFA/FLA Commitment to Responsible Recruitment continues to grow, with 133 companies now participating in the effort. This week, the Commitment page has been updated with links to resources to assist companies in efforts to address risks of forced migrant labor and a recording of last week's briefing on the Commitment. Companies interested in joining can reach out to Nate Herman.
 
This week at the Global Supply Chain & Trade Conference: Today AAFA hosted the Government Relations Spring Committee Meeting in Washington, D.C. and this evening we’ll kick off our Global Supply Chain & Trade Conference with a reception generously sponsored by Amber Road. Covering the most critical issues that supply chain, sourcing, customs, trade, and logistics professionals must understand to succeed in the global marketplace – attendees will hear from AAFA’s experts and regarded industry peers from top brands including Cintas, Hertling, Li & Fung LTD, Oxford Industries, Inc., Perry Ellis International, SanMar, Tommy Hilfiger, and more. We’ll also host can’t-miss keynote speakers from Under Armour, Inc. and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection!

See all of AAFA’s latest letters, comments, and testimony here.

Congress and government agencies solicit comments on a range of issues that may affect your business – find a list of comment opportunities here.
 
AAFA Events
April & May
 
April 30-May 1 Global Supply Chain & Trade Conference
May 8 Webinar: Product Safety in 2019 and What You Need to Know
May 14-16 Government Contracts Committee Meeting
May 15 Webinar: Build Online Presence For Customers Not Impostors

Visit our events calendar for all AAFA webinars, scheduled events, and member/committee calls.






 
Register here to join on May 15
 
 

 

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