On June 12, 2026, the Canadian government introduced Bill C-35, the Ban on Importing Goods Made with Forced Labour Act. Bill C-35 establishes a new statutory framework to prohibit forced labour imports, replacing the Customs Tariff’s current prohibition on importing goods produced wholly or in part by forced or child labour. Bill C-35 is available here. Bill C-35 empowers the Minister of Foreign Affairs to list goods (by country, region, manufacturer) that it suspects are…
On June 2, 2026, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) determined under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 that 60 countries had failed to impose and effectively enforce prohibitions on the importation of goods produced with forced labor, and that the failure is unreasonable and burdens U.S. commerce. The report proposes ad valorem duties on all products of the investigated countries, with limited exceptions. The 60 countries investigated account for over 99% of…
On March 11, 2026, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated a series of investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Section 301) targeting alleged structural excess capacity and overproduction in manufacturing sectors across a wide range of U.S. trading partners (the “Overcapacity Investigations”). Concurrently the USTR announced a separate set of investigations under Section 301 into whether certain trading partners have failed to take action to prevent trading in goods produced…
As 2026 brings new compliance challenges and opportunities, Baker McKenzie’s Canadian international trade team is here to help you stay ahead. We are launching our annual series of insights that unpack 2025’s biggest developments and spotlight the trade issues set to define 2026, bringing the clarity needed to navigate the evolving trade landscape. This article focuses on Canada’s regulation of forced labour and child labour. It remains unclear whether the Government of Canada’s 2024 ambitions…
On August 19, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans issued its annual update to its Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Strategy (UFLPA Strategy). The update expands the list of high-priority enforcement sectors and adds 78 new entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List (UFLPA Entity List). The UFLPA Strategy was first issued in 2022 to support enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), enacted in…
Baker McKenzie’s Canadian international trade and customs team is publishing a series of articles reviewing 2024 trade and customs compliance developments and looking ahead to 2025’s burgeoning issues. This article focuses on Canadian legislative and enforcement developments in combatting forced and child labour. Before we dive into Canada’s commitments to combatting forced and child labour, here is an overview of the current state of politics in Canada, which includes a discussion of the legislative powers…
On 12 December, the EU Forced Labour Regulation (“Regulation”) was published in the EU Official Journal. The publication is following the EU Council’s approval of the Regulation on 19 November 2024. The text of the Regulation was approved by qualified majority with 25 EU Member States voting in favour and 2 EU Member States abstaining from voting. The Regulation was signed by the President of the European Parliament and the President of the EU Council…
Following the first year of reporting under Canada’s Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (the “Supply Chains Act”), Public Safety Canada has presented its inaugural annual report to Parliament and published updated guidance on the reporting requirements. As we look ahead to the upcoming year, it is important for companies to assess their reporting obligations and maintain their current momentum in preparation for the next reporting period. On November 15,…
As the final weeks of calendar-year 2024 draw to a close, we have highlighted some of the top trade issues impacting entities doing business in Canada and Canadian companies operating abroad. Businesses should continue to stay focused on trade compliance. We expect the developments noted below will occupy the time and attention of c-suite executives and trade compliance teams, alike. Summer 2024 was busy with government initiated-consultations focused on economic resilience and national security. After…
On 13 March 2024, the European Council and European Parliament agreed the final text of the proposed EU Forced Labour Regulation (“Regulation”). This follows negotiations between the EU Council and Parliament which took place on 22 January 2024 and the European Council and European Parliament reaching a provisional agreement on the Regulation on 5 March 2024. The European Commission had initially proposed the Regulation on 14 September 2022. For information on the key similarities and…