We are pleased to have partnered with Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, to conduct research into the concerns of manufacturers for a no-deal Brexit, and to produce this report calling on the UK government to secure a trade agreement that supports the manufacturing industry.  The report highlights the significance of the manufacturing industry for the UK economy – contributing almost £275 billion annually in EU exports.  Manufactured goods make up close to half of UK…

In recent years, offshore wind costs have tumbled, leading to significant potential growth in the industry.  However, US offshore wind developers setting up their supply chains need to be prepared to navigate a complicated regulatory scheme involving overlapping federal and state laws, and adequately protect themselves with contracts that reflect the unpredictability of building wind turbines in the ocean.  Offshore wind supply chain ventures will also likely face environmental opposition, despite the clean energy moniker. …

As shown in the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) Bureau of International Labor Affairs’ International Child Labor & Forced Labor Reports, the use of child labor, forced labor, and child forced labor remains a tragically persistent concern worldwide.  To help companies understand these risks and work to eliminate child labor and forced labor, the DOL developed the mobile app Comply Chain: Business Tools for Labor Compliance in Global Supply Chains in 2017.  Recent updates…

On July 3, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower district court decision and held that Amazon can be liable as a “seller” for defective products sold by third parties on its online marketplace. This holding, if applied broadly, exposes companies that maintain third-party vendor platforms to strict liability lawsuits for defective products – a decided change to the legal supply chain landscape. In Oberdorf v. Amazon.com Inc., No. 18-1041, 2019 U.S. App.…

The UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced on June 25, 2019 that food labeling laws will be changed to introduce full ingredient labelling (including allergens) for foods which are packed for direct sale.  The new requirements will come fully into force in 2021.  Our colleague Nicola Smith prepared an article last August which details the options the UK government was considering and the background to the current proposals, including the categories of products the law intends to cover.  That article may…

Developments in product liability regimes around the world should be of interest to any company with a global supply chain.  In particular, as companies continue to source ever more materials from Asia, it is important to be aware of the product liability legal landscape in those countries.  Our colleagues, David Goh and Bindu Janardhanan, have written a chapter on product liability in Asia for the International Comparative Legal Guide’s Product Liability 2019.  The chapter, which provides…

A bipartisan bill, introduced in the Senate on May 2, seeks to reduce the United States’ dependence on foreign minerals and develop a national electric vehicle supply chain policy. The American Minerals Security Act (S. 1317), which embraces part of a 2017 executive order by President Trump, would “facilitate the availability, development, and environmentally responsible production of domestic resources to meet national material or critical mineral needs[.]” The Act would require identification of critical minerals…