Dear IPC Members:
From all of us here at IPC, we hope you are staying safe and healthy during the continuing coronavirus crisis.
IPC is continuing to monitor the actions being taken by governments at all levels to respond to the crisis, and to share relevant information with you.
This past Monday, IPC released its latest industry impacts report on how coronavirus is affecting the electronics manufacturing industry. While the majority of electronics manufacturers and suppliers continue to report they remain open for business, they also remain extremely concerned about the impacts on their operations. Please check out the report and let us know how the pandemic is affecting your operations.
Meanwhile, IPC believes the electronics manufacturing industry is so important to the economy that we developed a Roadmap for Economic Recovery – a package of government policy measures that we believe would help the industry weather the storm and drive the economic recovery. Please check it out and let us know your thoughts and experience. If you agree with what we’re proposing, visit our Advocacy Center to send it to your elected officials.
More resources are available on IPC’s COVID-19 Update web page.
Please let us know if you have any government-related questions or concerns.
All the best,
Chris Mitchell
Vice President, Global Government Relations
ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY
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U.S. EPA to Ease TSCA Fees: As advocated for by IPC, on March 25, the U.S. EPA confirmed it is exploring potential exemptions to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Fees Rule to ease the implementation burden. The agency plans to consider exemptions for manufacturers that import articles containing high-priority substances or those who produce them as impurities or byproducts. The EPA is also providing a “no action assurance” for such manufacturers, meaning it will not pursue enforcement action regarding violations of the self-identification obligations. This action will reduce long-term administrative and financial burdens for affected manufacturers. However, companies that were already identified by the EPA on their preliminary list of fee payers should still plan to certify in the EPA’s Chemical Data Exchange (CDX) system. The EPA has modified the CDX to facilitate new responses; you can read the instructions for reporting here. The deadline to certify is May 27. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.
EPA Implements Temporary Enforcement Discretion Due to COVID-19: On March 26, the U.S. EPA announced a new temporary enforcement discretion policy regarding civil violations during the coronavirus pandemic. While the EPA does not expect to seek penalties for noncompliance with routine monitoring and reporting obligations, it does expect regulated facilities to comply with regulatory requirements where reasonably practicable, and if not, to return to compliance as quickly as possible. Do not change your normal routine of meeting or exceeding regulatory requirements and using best practices. To be eligible for enforcement discretion, the policy requires facilities to document decisions made to prevent or mitigate noncompliance and demonstrate how the noncompliance was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.
EUROPEAN UNION
EU Seeks to Protect Green Deal from COVID-19-Related Delays: Since the outbreak of coronavirus in Europe, some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called upon the European Commission to “radically scale back its pre-crisis regulatory ambition,” while others urged the EC to continue its path toward a green and circular economy. According to a joint statement of European Union leaders, despite the urgency to fight the pandemic, it is necessary to continue working towards sustainable growth, green transition and digital transformation, and in some respects the Green Deal may help economies recover from the current shock. IPC Contact: Alison James.
COVID-19 Spurs Commission Guidance on Free Movement of Workers: On March 30, the European Commission published a guidance affirming the continuous free movement of workers across the European Union, which will ensure economic continuity during the coronavirus pandemic. The guidance provides a list of critical occupations and calls upon EU Member States to ensure unhindered movement across borders for these workers. The guidance also says member states should permit and facilitate the crossing of frontier workers, if work in their specific sector is still allowed in the host country. In anticipation of potential measures to restrict the flow of goods and business operations, IPC sent a letter to government officials in key member states, urging them to view our industry and supply chain as “essential” in connection with medical, defense and infrastructure purposes. IPC Contact: Alison James.
TRADE AND SUPPLY CHAIN
Is Your Company Looking to Source Inputs from New Countries? Over the last year, electronics manufacturers have been adjusting their supply chains due to trade tensions, tariffs, and the belief that higher tariffs may become permanent. We’re seeing evidence of a “decoupling” between China and the United States and shifts to other sources of supply such as Mexico, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan and India. Read a short blog on this issue by IPC Chief Economist Shawn Dubravac; and if your company is thinking about sourcing from new countries, we would be interested in hearing from you as part of our research and monitoring efforts. IPC Contact: Shawn DuBravac.
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US
Subscribe to IPC Global Advocacy Report: If you’re a member of IPC, manage your e-mail preferences and opt in to receive “Advocacy” updates. If you are not an IPC member – or you’re not sure – please send a note to friends@ipc.org, and our staff will add you to the list.
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Contact one of us if you have any questions or insights to contribute.
Tell us how government policies affect your business.
See prior editions of Global Advocacy Report.
Explore our IPC Government Relations information online.
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