February 11: Most of the baseball caps sold in the United States are made in China, and President Donald Trump's trade war has made them 10% more expensive. (Source: CNN)

February 11: ... some aides privately acknowledge the most likely scenario is for the March 1 deadline to be extended and for tariffs on some $200 billion in Chinese imports not to be raised to 25 percent as Trump has threatened. (Source: Bloomberg)

February 6: ... the pact, which replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement, is currently imperiled in Congress, and both Democrats and Republicans say it has little chance of passing without significant changes. Democrats say the deal does not go far enough to protect workers and the environment, while Republicans say it goes too far in restricting trade, particularly in the auto sector. (Source: New York Times)

February 11: While the emergence of blockchain technology within the freight transportation and logistics marketplace has gained a significant amount of traction in recent years, a report recently issued by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) observes that [the] rate of blockchain adoption is slower than expected, even though the technology has some clear potential benefits. (Source: Logistics Management)

February 11: The European Union launched a procedure Monday that could lead to the temporary suspension of Cambodia’s preferential access to the bloc’s market, citing a deterioration in the Southeast Asian nation’s labor and human rights record over the past 18 months. (Source: Radio Free Asia)

February 11: In its place is a new standard: inclusive sizing, and retailers that haven't woken up to those changes in apparel risk losing billions in sales. (Source: Retail Dive)

February 12: Republican Thom Tillis and Democrat Chris Coons have been selected to lead the newly-formed US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on IP. ... The US Patent and Trademark Office, the US Copyright Office, and oversight of the functions of the federal government as they relate to IP all fall within the jurisdiction of the subcommittee. (Source: World IP Review)

February 11: ... China’s rules on import tariffs, sales tax, and consumption taxes are quite clear: if you import goods into China, they are subject to tariffs. If you resell goods in China, they are subject to tax. If daigou paid the proper duties and taxes, they would have no business because they could not compete on price with legitimate importers. (Source: China Law Blog)

February 5: ... At a seminar during FN Platform in Las Vegas today, executives from eBay Inc. and Alibaba Holdings Ltd. — the latter of which has faced particularly high criticism over its perceived lack of vigor in protecting both sellers and buyers using its platform — said they have thrown new resources behind protecting the IP rights of sellers and buyers using their platforms. (Source: Footwear News)

AAFA renews partnership with WRAP: Early this year, AAFA renewed its partnership with Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) as the association's official Corporate Social Responsibility Partner. As part of this agreement, AAFA will continue to collaborate with WRAP to develop tools and resources for AAFA membership focused on labor, working hours, and other important social responsibility topics. More information on the partnership, including access to member-only tools and resources, can be found here.

Las Vegas recap: Last week, AAFA leadership ran two panels during SOURCING AT MAGIC and FN PLATFORM in Las Vegas. Make sure to check out news reports on the industry and MAGIC, the costs of tariffs, and a recap of AAFA's brand protection panel.

Modernizing logistics for the 21st century: AAFA has submitted comments and requested to testify as part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's 21st Century Customs Framework (21CCF) initiative. The 21CCF is meant "to address and enhance numerous aspects of CBP’s trade mission to better position the agency to operate in the 21st century trade environment." 

Separately, AAFA joined a coalition of associations urging Congress to take up and pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill that will improve the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the nation's infrastructure.

AAFA submits comments for IPR report: On February 7, AAFA submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative as part of the agency's annual Special 301 Review. This report identifies countries that deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property protection. 

Associations express support for CPSC Chairman: On February 4, AAFA joined a multi-association letter urging the Senate to confirm Anne Marie Buerkle for an additional term as Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

Know a great intern candidate? AAFA is offering fantastic, hands-on internship opportunities this summer in our Government Relations and Communications & Marketing departments. We are looking for incredibly organized, ambitious, creative thinkers! Apply here.

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