North America
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
US UFLPA · United States
Plain-language summary
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) creates a rebuttable presumption that any goods produced wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China were made with forced labour and are therefore prohibited from import into the United States. This presumption can only be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary, a very high standard that few importers have successfully met.
The law operates through the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which maintains an entity list of companies operating in Xinjiang that are subject to enhanced scrutiny. As of June 2026, the entity list has been expanded by 23 new companies, bringing the total to well over 100 entities. Goods connected to any entity list company face near-automatic detention at the US border.
While the UFLPA is specifically targeted at Xinjiang, its indirect effects extend beyond China. Global supply chains for cotton, polysilicon, and electronics components have been significantly disrupted, creating both risks and opportunities for alternative suppliers in South and Southeast Asia.
Key obligations
- 1
Supply chain traceability for Xinjiang connections
Importers with any potential connection to Xinjiang must be able to trace their supply chains and demonstrate that no goods were produced with forced labour.
- 2
Rebut presumption to import detained goods
If goods are detained, importers must provide clear and convincing evidence to CBP that the goods were not produced with forced labour.
- 3
Monitor entity list
Importers should regularly monitor the CBP entity list and ensure their supply chains do not connect to listed entities.
Implementation timeline
December 2021
UFLPA enacted
Signed into law with a six-month implementation period.
June 2022
UFLPA enforcement begins
CBP began enforcing the rebuttable presumption and maintaining the entity list.
June 2026
Entity list expanded by 23 companies
CBP announced the addition of 23 new companies to the UFLPA entity list.
Change log
US Customs and Border Protection announced the addition of 23 new companies to the UFLPA Entity List. The new additions include companies in cotton ginning, polysilicon manufacturing, and electronic components. Importers connected to any of these entities face automatic detention of goods at the US border.
Official sources
- Official text Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (PL 117-78) US Congress
- Guidance UFLPA Entity List US Customs and Border Protection