Section 307 Forced Labor Import Prohibition: What Importers Need to Know
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Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 prohibits US imports of goods made with forced labour. The rule is gaining enforcement teeth as US Customs and Border Protection tightens investigation and detention procedures, with importers now facing material compliance risk in procurement.
For supply-chain teams, the practical implication is clear: forced labour due diligence stops being optional. Companies must document labour conditions across tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers – particularly high-risk sectors like textiles, agriculture, and electronics manufacturing. Audits alone don't shield importers; customs can detain shipments based on "reasonable suspicion" of forced labour involvement, with the burden of proof shifting to the importer to demonstrate compliance.
EcoVadis (the compliance and ESG platform) flags this as a mandatory integration point in procurement systems. Importers without supplier risk mapping and labour condition verification face both financial penalty (detention, seizure) and reputational exposure when violations surface in media or NGO investigations.
The enforcement shift reflects a broader tightening of forced labour legislation globally – UK Modern Slavery Act, EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and Australia's Modern Slavery Act all place similar obligations on importers. Section 307 differs in one respect: US customs enforcement is immediate and commodity-level, not framework-based.
The question most supply-chain leaders aren't asking yet: if forced labour due diligence is now table stakes for US import compliance, what's the cost of treating it as a legal checkbox rather than a competitive advantage in supplier selection?