Fashion groups urge US to rethink forced labour tariff plan

WASHINGTON – Two US apparel and labour organisations have warned that proposed tariffs linked to forced labour could raise costs for compliant fashion companies while doing little to target bad actors. The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) made the comments in a filing to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). They were responding to proposed action under Section 301 investigations into economies accused of failing to impose and effectively enforce import bans on goods made with forced labour.