US aims to ban imports produced by forced labor

Global Business

For the past 85 years, the U.S. government turned a blind eye to companies that manufactured and imported goods derived from slave labor. That indifference existed as long as local production was unable to keep up with demand.

But, Washington has recently closed that loophole, and the consequences could be significant.
CCTV’s Shraysi Tandon reports.

It was a loophole that existed in the Tariff Act of 1930, allowing slave-produced goods into the United States.

In February, U.S. President Barack Obama signed a bill into law that included a provision that bans the import of goods made by child and forced labor.

Once the law goes into effect later in March, 136 goods from 74 countries will be targeted. Some of the goods include electronics and toys from China. Garments from Argentina, coffee from Cote d’Ivoire, and textiles from Ethiopia.