The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has planned three days of public hearings next week to address concerns regarding 60 economies, including India, for their alleged failure to prevent and enforce bans on imports made with forced labor. India’s government and industry representatives are set to testify on July 8. The hearings, scheduled from July 7 to July 9, aim to assess potential responsive actions following USTR’s investigations into the practices of these economies related to the importation of goods produced through forced labor.
India is slated to participate in the hearings on July 8, with representatives from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) among those expected to testify. Subsequent panels will include government officials from India, such as Dr. Brij Mohan from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Shubham Arora from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), alongside representatives from Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Pakistan. The three-day program will also feature testimonies from foreign governments, US businesses, industry associations, labor organizations, and advocacy groups representing various countries.
The USTR hearings follow a report released on June 2, which found that the 60 economies under investigation had not effectively enforced prohibitions on imports of goods produced with forced labor. According to the report, these economies’ practices were deemed “unreasonable” and detrimental to US commerce, potentially leading to actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. While some countries like Canada and the European Union have legal bans on forced labor imports but lack effective enforcement, others, including India, have not implemented or enforced such prohibitions.
Under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, the USTR has the authority to investigate foreign practices that are considered unfair or discriminatory and that impede US commerce. If deemed necessary, the US can impose responsive measures, such as tariffs or trade restrictions, based on the investigation’s outcomes and presidential directives.
