The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has expressed strong support for the US Administration’s recent initiative to combat “unfair trade practices,” attributing such practices to the shutdown of eight manufacturing facilities over the past quarter.
Announced on 1st February 2024, by Rachel Lawler, this new enforcement strategy aims to strengthen the domestic textile industry’s longevity. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Majorkas has unveiled a swift, 30-day action plan targeting these practices, emphasising collaboration with various agencies and the private sector to enhance the UFPLA Entity List, ensuring accountability among companies.
The NCTO is eager to contribute to refining the plan, focusing on rigorous enforcement to counteract the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the misuse of the de minimis rule, which allows numerous unchecked imports, adversely affecting US industry.
Secretary Majorkas is determined to mobilise the US Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and additional agencies to intensify crackdowns on illegal customs activities. This includes increased physical inspections and the application of advanced testing methods to identify violations, signifying an approach to protecting domestic textile production.
