Forced Labor

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

Majority wants clear line on Xinjiang
German consumers are growing aware of the issue of forced labor in Xinjiang. A clear majority favors an import ban on corresponding products. The German public also supports the closure of a VW plant in Urumqi. This was the result of an exclusive survey by the market research institute Civey. continue reading →
New US rules for goods from Xinjiang in force
New stricter import rules for products from Xinjiang have been in effect in the US since Tuesday. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) stipulates that importers must prove that goods or components of products from the region were not produced using forced labor (China.Table reported). Until proven, respective goods will be confiscated by US […] continue reading →
Jens Hildebrandt: ‘Who is supposed to identify forced labor in a system like China?’
This week, Brussels was supposed to present its approach to an EU supply chain law - but the presentation of the Commission's proposal was postponed. Meanwhile, the German supply chain law has been passed and will come into force in just over a year. How are companies in China preparing for implementation? There are still a lot of unanswered questions, including how human rights violations will be detected in the first place, says Jens Hildebrandt. The interview was conducted by Amelie Richter. continue reading →
EU plans ban on products made by forced labor
The EU is getting serious about banning products from forced labor: In her State of the Union speech, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen complies with demands from the European Parliament and announces a ban on imports. A new chip law is also intended to make the bloc less dependent on Asia. Von der Leyen also presented the new name for the planned European counterpart to the Chinese Silk Road. continue reading →
After Xinjiang report: Beijing closes labor rights auditor Verité
Chinese authorities have shut down the Chinese partner of US labor law auditor Verité, as the Wall Street Journal reports. This move means the Shenzhen-based company will lose its authority to advise companies on labor rights issues in Chinese factories. Verité is a Massachusetts-based company affiliated with U.S. labor law organization Verité Inc. Its clients […] continue reading →
US pushes for import ban on goods from Xinjiang
Ketchup by the popular brand Heinz labeled “Made in China” had been banned from import to the US at the beginning of the year. Many T-shirts made with cotton from Xinjiang are also blacklisted. Soon all products from Xinjiang are likely to be affected. On Wednesday, the US Senate passed a bill banning the import […] continue reading →
EU continues fight against forced labour
On Tuesday, the EU published new guidelines on identifying and dealing with forced labour in supply chains. While it does not name any countries, the EU guideline includes several key points that apply specifically to China. For example, companies are required to be aware of warning signals regarding countries that indicate forced labor. The directive […] continue reading →
Uniqlo rejects allegations of forced labour
Japanese fashion company Uniqlo has denied accusations by the French courts of benefiting from the exploitation of Uighurs in China. The company told AFP news agency, Uniqlo will “fully cooperate with investigators to reaffirm that there is no forced labor in our supply chains,”. Uniqlo referred to third-party inspections of its supply chains to prevent […] continue reading →
Boycott hurts H&M sales
Swedish fashion company H&M has seen its sales in China plummet by 28 percent in the 1st quarter of this year. Sales fell by the equivalent of nearly 74 million US dollars in the three months of March, April and May, as reported by Wall Street Journal. The sales decline in China remains the only […] continue reading →