Dear IPC Members:

I hope you had a restful holiday season and a positive start to 2020. Here at IPC, we are eagerly looking forward to what the new year will bring, and we are working to advance your success.

This week, we are looking at new developments in trade policy (the imminent signing of a U.S.-China “phase one” deal and an upcoming vote in the U.S. Senate on USMCA); environmental policy (a new “roadmap” for the EU Circular Economy Action Plan); and U.S. defense policy (signings of both the 2020 defense authorization and spending bills).The defense spending bill included $5 million sought by IPC for R&D to address supply chains risks and electronics assurance issues related to the use of lead-based circuit assemblies in mission-critical defense applications.

We’re also preparing for IPC APEX EXPO 2020, where we have a variety of government-related activities in store. Read the I-Connect article about it.

Enjoy this week’s snapshot of the top issues we’re working on for you all over the world. Please let us know if you have questions and suggestions.

All the best,

Chris Mitchell
Vice President, Global Government Relations

TOP OF THE WEEK

U.S.-China Trade Deal to be Signed Next Week: The “Phase One” trade deal between the United States and China will officially be signed on January 15, according to President Trump. IPC welcomes the deal, which was agreed to on Dec. 20, and we hope it points to more progress in the coming months, because many of our members are still feeling a variety of harms from the tariffs that are still in place. Read IPC’s statement on the trade deal and key takeaways in IPC’s recent blog post. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell. 

Lead-free R&D Included in Approved U.S. Defense Spending Bill: It’s official: On December 20, President Trump signed a U.S. defense spending bill that provides $5 million sought by IPC for R&D into the issues surrounding lead-free electronics in mission-critical applications. IPC and its members and allies believe a five-year, $40 million investment would yield more than $100 million in Department of Defense savings per year and improve military readiness and innovation. Read our recent IPC blog post for additional information on this development. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell. 

Which Government Policies Concern You Most? IPC is conducting a survey about the government policy issues that concern you most and how they impact your company. While the survey is still open, here is some of the feedback we’ve gathered thus far. Asked to identify their top areas of concern, the large majority have mentioned trade and tariffs (69 percent). Other issues of concern are taxes (44 percent), environmental regulations (44 percent), education and workforce skills (38 percent), policies affecting electronics industry customers (31 percent), intellectual property protection (25 percent), and incentives for R&D and investment (19 percent). Which government policy issues matter the most to you? Simply click here to get started; it will only take you five minutes.  

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE

Ivanka Trump Highlights Our Industry’s Investment in U.S. Jobs in CES Keynote: Senior Adviser to the President Ivanka Trump was featured at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Her remarks focused on the importance of transforming the United States educational system to better prepare students and workers for future career opportunities. IPC, as a signatory to the Trump administration’s Pledge to America’s Workers, has committed itself to creating 1 million workforce training opportunities through more broadly available workforce credentialing programs and training initiatives aimed at university and high school students. Note the IPC logo at lower left of the photo! Contact: Chris Mitchell. 

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY

Europe Eyeing Changes in RoHS Environmental Regulations: One of the world’s most comprehensive and restrictive environmental regulations – the European Commission’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) – is undergoing a comprehensive regulatory review, and IPC is actively involved in the process. Check out this article in I-Connect007 by IPC’s Chris Mitchell, which describes the upcoming RoHS review, why IPC members should take interest, and how they can be involved. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

RoHS Exemptions Renewals Ready for Review: Meanwhile, as a member of the RoHS Industry Umbrella Project’s Strategic Management Team, IPC is working with approximately 50 other industry groups to prepare and submit requests for exemptions from RoHS. We have eight exemption-renewal applications ready for review and endorsement. Please click here to be routed to a survey form where you – or the “RoHS guru” in your company – can review and vote on each of the drafts by this Friday, January 10. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.
       
In China, Annual Reporting of New Chemical Substances Due February 1: China’s Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center, under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, recently published a notice reminding all simplified and regular certificate holders that under Measures for Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances (MEP Order 7), they must submit annual reports of their chemical production and import activities from 2019. The online submission system opened on January 1 and submissions are due by February 1. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

U.S. EPA Issues Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Certain PFAS: The U.S. EPA is exploring whether to add certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the U.S. Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), starting with an opportunity for all stakeholders to provide input. Specifically, EPA is seeking comments on which of the approximately 600 PFAS currently active in U.S. commerce should be evaluated. The agency also seeks comments on how to list PFAS, i.e., as individual chemical listings, as a single category, as multiple categories, or as a combination of individual and category listings. Your company may be affected by this action if you manufacture, process, or otherwise use PFAS. Comments are due on or before February 3. IPC will track this and keep you posted via this newsletter. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

High Priority Chemical Substances Announced: The U.S. EPA has announced the final list of 20 chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The 20 chemicals include seven chlorinated solvents, six phthalates, four flame retardants, formaldehyde, a fragrance additive, and a polymer precursor. By June, the EPA will finalize scoping documents for these 20 chemicals, which is the first step of the multi-year risk evaluation process. IPC will participate in the scoping process for those chemicals critical to electronics manufacturing, i.e., TBBPA. Please contact Kelly Scanlon if you would like to participate.

Do You Use Engineered Nanomaterials in Your Electronics Manufacturing or R&D? The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intends to evaluate the scientific data on engineered nanomaterials to develop recommended occupational exposure limits based on the available scientific evidence. NIOSH is seeking materials, including published and unpublished reports and research findings, to evaluate the possible adverse health risks of occupational exposure to engineered nanomaterials. If you would like to share information with NIOSH or with us, please contact Kelly Scanlon.

EUROPEAN UNION

New EU Circular Economy Action Plan Roadmap Published: The European Commission has issued a “roadmap” for their new action plan on the “circular economy.” According to the Commission, the Circular Economy Action Plan will accelerate the transition towards more sustainable use of resources, reinforce the European Union's industrial base, help fight climate change and preserve the natural environment. The Action Plan will look at the life cycle of products and aim to increase recycling and reuse in the EU, while also identifying actions to address “high-impact sectors” including electronics. The new EU Industrial Strategy is expected in March and will be linked to the Circular Economy Action Plan. The Roadmap is open for feedback for four weeks, from December 23 until January 20. IPC Contact: Alison James.

TRADE & INVESTMENT

U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Coming Up in U.S. Senate: On December 19, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the long-awaited U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) with bipartisan support. The trade agreement is now awaiting action in the Senate, with a possibility it will come to the floor late next week. Read IPC’s statement on the agreement here, and IPC’s letter urging Congress’ support here. And if you have not already done so, please call on your elected officials to vote yes and share an IPC tweet on it. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.
 
U.S. Commerce Department Extends Comment Period for Proposed Rule on ICT Supply Chain: The U.S. Department of Commerce is seeking public comment on a proposed rule, announced on November 27, to implement a May 15 Executive Order to address concerns that foreign adversaries are exploiting information and communications technology (ICT) supply chains to commit cyber-crimes, including economic and industrial espionage against the United States. Although the targets were not specifically named, the Executive Order was widely seen as directed at China and Huawei. The proposed rule is very broad in its potential scope and impact and gives the Secretary of Commerce sweeping authority to restrict or mitigate commercial transactions involving ICT made by “foreign adversaries.” IPC will be submitting comments on the proposed rule by the January 10 deadline; please contact Chris Mitchell to have your views represented.

American Consumers, Not China, Are Paying for U.S.Tariffs: According to a recent study by Mary Amiti of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the costs of “U.S. tariffs continue to be almost entirely borne by U.S. firms and consumers,” the New York Times reports. This is the latest study to affirm the harm the U.S.-China trade war has inflicted on U.S. interests. The latest research underscores the importance of brokering a broader U.S.-China trade agreement that addresses the tariffs that will remain in place even after the scheduled signing of a “Phase 1” deal next week. In case you missed it, check out IPC’s recent report on the tariff war fallout, where we expand on the impact the trade war has had on U.S. electronics manufacturers. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

UPCOMING EVENTS

IMPACT Washington, D.C.: March 25-26, 2020. This is IPC’s signature U.S. advocacy event, providing opportunities for members to educate policy makers on the issues that affect them most. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

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