September 13: U.S. diplomats are sketching out a last-ditch plan to salvage core sections of the EU’s moribund trade deal with Washington. The U.S. and EU countries supporting free trade are increasingly worried that the landmark Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will collapse if they do not secure a preliminary accord before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office in January. (Source: Politico)

September 9: ... Arizona Sen. John McCain, a long-time supporter of free trade who is trying to win a sixth Senate term, said that the U.S.'s so-called pivot to Asia will fall short if lawmakers can’t come together to pass the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). "If TPP fails, American leadership in the Asia-Pacific may very well fail with it," McCain said during remarks at a U.S.-Asia policy forum at the Heritage Foundation. (Source: The Hill)

September 8: ... While parents are always looking for smart deals, these [back-to-school] purchases are rarely inexpensive, particularly when the prices of these products are increased because of hidden tariffs imposed when those goods are imported into the United States. About $47 of the estimated $674 that parents will pay this year actually reflects a back-to-school import tax on such highly-taxed items like clothes, shoes and backpacks. Fortunately, one trade deal pending before Congress could alleviate this burden and bring real relief to hardworking families. (Source: Sourcing Journal, op-ed by AAFA’s Stephen Lamar – article unlocked)

September 12: As bankrupt Hanjin Shipping Co. unwinds its cargo operations, with the first of its stranded U.S.-bound vessels off-loading containers in Long Beach on Monday, Southern California’s import and export businesses are struggling with the ripple effects. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

September 9: Walmart is no longer selling Welspun's line of premium Egyptian cotton bed sheets after its supplier was unable to prove the sheets weren't knockoffs. Less than a month after Target announced it would offer refunds for customers who purchased Welspun's Egyptian cotton sheets, Walmart said it is also pulling Egyptian cotton Welspun sheets from its shelves and offering refunds, reports Bloomberg. (Source: Business Insider)

September 6: ... It's a relentless battle by brand owners to stop — or at least slow — the endless river of counterfeit goods that robs them of revenue. Without a clearly defined strategy, brand owners will continue to leak profits. How do you stop this illegal trade from eroding your brand? (Source: Apparel Magazine)

In Brief
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and back-to-school:On September 8, AAFA — and 118 brands, companies, and other associations across the apparel, footwear, travel goods, and retail industries — united with a letter to each member of Congress urging support for TPP. The full letter, along with all 118 signatories, is available here (House, Senate).

In case you missed it, see our co-authored op-ed "Why TPP is a class act" featured in The Hill.

Use #TPP and #TPP4USJobs to help spread the message!

 

Hanjin Shipping update: AAFA has been closely tracking ongoing and ever-changing circumstances following the Hanjin Shipping bankruptcy and its impact on members. AAFA hosted a second call with Ken O'Brien from Gemini Shippers Group on Monday, September 12. Members can click here to access the recording (login required).

Is AAFA’s transportation group for you? AAFA members can email Nate Herman at nherman@aafaglobal.org to join the transportation group and receive detailed updates on Hanjin and related matters. AAFA's transportation mailing list was established to provide interested members with regular updates describing the actions of AAFA on transportation issues, as well as breaking news reports whenever necessary. The transportation mailing list follows issues such as ports, shipping, and logistics.

See all of AAFA’s latest letters, comments, and testimony here.

Member Welcome: Netnames

NetNames protects global brands from counterfeiting and online fraud, specializing in issues originating from China and across Asia. Through its industry-leading anti-counterfeiting and brand protection solutions across marketplaces, web, social, domains and apps, the company is responsible for keeping organizations and brands one step ahead of online threats across the globe. NetNames’ expert analysts speak over 26 languages and its fully tailored online detection and enforcement solutions enable rapid and effective removal of counterfeit and grey market products. The company is headquartered in London (UK) with offices in Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.S. NetNames can be found at www.netnames.com and on Twitter @NetNamesDomains.

Visit our events calendar for all webinars and industry events. Be sure to save the date for AAFA's Executive Summit: March 1-3, 2017. 

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