Customs Enforcement of Forced Labor: What’s an Importer to Do?

In this webinar, hosted by the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and Maersk Customs Services, we focus on some of the current issues and challenges that importers are facing regarding the detentions and exclusions under the Xinjiang cotton Withhold Release Order (WRO). We will also discuss, using some real-time scenarios, how U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is addressing enforcement of the WROs. This webinar will also provide some recommendations regarding steps that importers can take to avoid, and prepare for potential enforcement actions.

Webinar Agenda

• What is it?
• Where is it?
• How is it enforced?
• Why is it an issue for you?
• What can I do to protect my business?
• Q&A

About Janet

Janet Labuda is the Head of Global Compliance at Maersk Customs Services. Janet retired in 2011 after completing a thirty-one-year career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Prior to her retirement, she was the Director, Textile/Apparel Policy and Programs Division at the Headquarters Office of International Trade in Washington, D.C. As the Director, she led the development and implementation of national policy decisions regarding the importation of textile products into the United States. She also worked on various trade enforcement and compliance programs including supply chain security, anti-dumping countervailing duty, Intellectual Property Rights protection.

As the Director, she worked closely with the trade community often speaking at various venues. She ensured close partnerships with the Department of Commerce, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the State Department on matters of textile trade compliance.

She has traveled extensively and has skills in international negotiation. She represented Customs in negotiations of the Morocco, Singapore, Australia Free Trade Agreements. She has also advised various governments as well as the U.S. importing community on the establishment of trade compliance standards. She recently worked with the government of Korea on the KORUS FTA requirements, and Vietnam on TPP compliance concerns.

She has her Master’s degree from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, New York and is a John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellow.