Dear IPC Members:

IPC’s government relations program depends on a clear understanding of your needs, which is why we want to hear from you! Currently, we’re looking for your input on U.S. government regulations, potential per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations, the upcoming U.S. elections, and/or any other government policy issue that affects your business. Also, please note that our IPC "A Team" advocacy page makes it easy to communicate with your elected officials about our industry’s priority issues. Or, see our contact details in each item below and let us know what you’re thinking. We are here to amplify your voice and that of the entire electronics manufacturing industry.

Meanwhile. your safety remains our top priority. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact us all, please remember to check out the IPC COVID-19 Update page for resources like an updated face mask guidance document for protecting each other on the job, workplace measures to manage your COVID-19 risk, and much more.

All the best and stay safe,

Chris Mitchell
Vice President, Global Government Relations

TOP OF THE WEEK

How Is COVID-19 Affecting the U.S. and European Electronics Industry? On August 24, IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac released IPC’s August Economic Report, which includes new data on the European Union market, forecasts for the major European economies, and updates on the U.S. economy amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. We hope you find this resource useful; please let us know how you use this research and what else you would like to see from IPC. IPC Contact: Shawn DuBravac.

Does Your Company Use PFAS to Make Electronics? Regulators in the United States and the European Union are eyeing chemicals in the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) class. In July, IPC completed a screening study to gain a better understanding of the evolving policies shaping the production and use of PFAS. IPC needs you to review the preliminary findings from our screening study to confirm whether we accurately captured the uses of PFAS in electronics products and processes. Remember to send your feedback to Kelly Scanlon day's end, today! For more information, check out IPC’s new blog on PFAS regulation.

Share Your Experiences with U.S. Government Regulations: Your company has a new opportunity to share your experiences with U.S. Government regulations – positive or negative – as part of an ongoing study by members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Simply click here to answer the survey conveniently and privately online. IPC will compile and submit our members’ responses, and we can include or omit your identifying information as you wish. Please submit your information by September 4. We want to hear from you! IPC Contact: Ken Schramko.

U.S. President Trump, Like Biden, Has Mixed Record on Our Industry’s Issues: U.S. President Donald Trump this week officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination, setting the stage for the November 3 election. From our perspective, President Trump has a mixed record on issues of importance to IPC members. On the positive side, IPC applauded the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which bolsters the industry’s confidence in making long-term investments in the three nations. The 2017 tax cuts and the administration’s regulatory relief efforts were also welcomed. IPC was especially pleased with the White House’s recognition of IPC’s workforce development efforts. On the other hand, the U.S.-China trade war, spurred by Trump, has caused many IPC members to feel the pain of higher costs, supply chain disruptions, administrative hassles, and reduced access to the Chinese market but without commensurate investments in the U.S. industrial base. Trump said recently that the coronavirus pandemic has “highlighted the importance of U.S. manufacturing and moving supply chains out of China,” according to Manufacturing.net. Additional uncertainties created by U.S.-led trade disputes with U.S. allies and the World Trade Organization added more clouds to the global economic outlook. IPC’s comments on the manufacturing platform of Democratic nominee Joe Biden were published in this newsletter last week. Let us know what you think about the issues at stake in this election. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

DEFENSE

Annual Defense Policy Bill Includes Green Chemistry Provisions: The U.S. Senate has taken action aimed at reducing the use of hazardous substances by including a “sustainable chemistry” bill in the latest annual defense policy bill. The National Defense Authorization Act, passed by the Senate in July, included the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2019, authored by Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). This bipartisan legislation aims to encourage the “development of new and innovative chemicals, products and processes with an improved environmental footprint through efficient use of resources, reducing or eliminating exposure to hazardous substances, or otherwise minimizing harm to human health and the environment,” according to a release from Sen. Coons. As we have reported previously, there is a great deal of action occurring around the world to reduce the use of potentially toxic chemicals in manufacturing, and IPC continues to be engaged in these policy and technical discussions. We will keep you informed on the progress of the Sustainable Chemistry Act in Congress. Let us know what you think. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

ICYMI: House and Senate Pass Pro-Electronics Measures in Defense Bills: The U.S. House and Senate recently passed separate versions of the annual National Defense Authorization Act, both including provisions of significant interest to our industry:

• New requirements for bare and assembled printed circuit boards (PCBs) and printed circuit board assemblies used in sensitive defense systems to be purchased from trusted U.S. or allied sources;
• An IPC-backed measure requiring the Defense Department to analyze certain materials and technology sectors – including PCBs and other electronics components – for possible action to address sourcing and industrial capacity risks; and
• Funding and tax credits to strengthen domestic semiconductor production.

House and Senate Armed Services Committee leaders are currently in negotiations to iron out differences between the two bills. Meanwhile, a spending bill recently cleared by the U.S. House includes funding for lead-free electronics research and development that IPC has sought; the Senate has yet to act on its version. IPC will continue to advocate for measures to shore up supply chains for electronics related to essential governmental functions including defense. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE

IPC Launches New Online Workforce Training Options: Do you have difficulties finding skilled production workers? Two-thirds of electronics industry companies do, according to a recent IPC study. To remedy this problem, IPC has launched all-new IPC Electronics Workforce Training courses to help our members and their employees. Check out the news release for more information, and to view the expanded course catalog, visit https://training.ipc.org.

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY

Fundamentals of Conscientious Engineering: Yesterday, August 27, IPC Director of Environment, Health, and Safety Policy and Research Kelly Scanlon presented at a IPC Educational Foundation webinar on the topic of conscientious engineering. She spoke on the responsibility of electronics industry engineers to make informed decisions about the design, manufacture, use, and disposal of electronic components and products. IPC members are committed to environmental stewardship, recognizing that proactive efforts to prevent adverse impacts to human health and the environment can reduce or eliminate business risks and the need for compliance-driven activity. If you were unable to attend or have further questions about the evolving industrial practices, please let us know! IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

EPA Releases Interim List of Companies Subject to Chemical Fee: On August 26, the Environmental Protection Agency released an interim final list of businesses subject to fees for the 20 high-priority substances listed under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Fees Rule. Please review the interim list for accuracy; changes have been made since the preliminary list was released on January 27, which IPC commented on in a February blog. Making the interim list available now “gives businesses and other stakeholders an opportunity to review the list for accuracy and provides time for businesses to engage in initial outreach regarding the formation of consortia to share in fee payments,” the announcement said. Let us know your questions, concerns, and suggestions about the TSCA fee obligations. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

IPC, Helping You Assess and Manage COVID-19 Risks at Your Workplace: As the coronavirus pandemic has persisted, IPC remains alert to the evolving science and policies, and last week we released new information aimed at helping our members assess and manage risks in the workplace. Workplace Measures to Manage COVID-19 Risk: Dispelling Myths with Effective Methods answers recent questions we have received, including those related to cleaning, disinfecting, and contact tracing. As a reminder, the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative also recently published a guide on how to mitigate the risk when disinfecting electronic equipment and assemblies. A shorter blog on the topic is here. What pandemic-related issues are you struggling with? We welcome your questions and feedback. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

Evolving Policies Reframe Discussion on Flame Retardants in Electronics: IPC recently partnered with Chemical Watch to discuss the latest scientific and policy developments around flame retardants used in the electronics industry from a European and North American perspective. Topics covered included:

• Emerging legislation and policies regarding flame retardants, including the European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan;
• Industry standards that shape definitions of flame retardants;
• Industry data and information needed for better decision-making; and
• New innovations and technologies that could affect the need for flame retardants in electronics.

For more information, check out this recent IPC blog item. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

U.S. Chemical Data Reporting – Still Open! The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chemical Data Reporting submission period remains open through November 30. The CDR rule requires manufacturers and importers of certain chemical substances listed under the Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory to report data to the EPA every four years. There are several new reporting requirements you should be aware of, including changes related to byproducts, exemptions; and an improved process for reporting co-manufacturing. Let us know if you have any questions as your company goes through the reporting process. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

Interested in Chemical and Product Regulations in Asia? Please check out these recent white papers from IPC on evolving chemicals regulations in China, Japan, and South Korea. These papers provide a detailed look at the history of the policies, recent regulatory updates, and the regulatory trends in the respective countries. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

EUROPEAN UNION

European Commission Continues Work on Due Diligence Initiative: As part of its preparatory work on a mandatory due diligence legislative proposal, the European Commission recently released an “inception impact assessment” on the initiative, which seeks to help companies “better manage sustainability-related matters in their own operations and value chains in regards to social and human rights, climate change, and the environment.” You can share your feedback here. Meanwhile, the commission also conducted a study affirming that many companies face pressure to generate short-term shareholder value to the detriment of long-term investments, especially regarding sustainability. A formal legislative proposal is expected in early 2021. IPC will continue to advocate for the electronics industry throughout the legislative process; we welcome your input and questions. IPC Contact: Alison James.

TRADE AND SUPPLY CHAIN

U.S. and China Reaffirm “Phase 1” Deal: After months of radio silence, top United States and Chinese trade officials this week reaffirmed their commitment to their “Phase 1” trade deal, Reuters reported. Many IPC members have felt a variety of pains from the U.S.-China trade war, although some have felt no impacts. IPC hopes the resumption of friendly talks is a step towards the resolution of broader issues, including the de-escalation of tariffs on both sides. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

Brexit Agreement Remains Unlikely: The seventh round of post-Brexit talks ended on August 21 with European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier and United Kingdom chief negotiator David Frost both acknowledging a lack of substantial progress in negotiations. Disagreements remain over level-playing-field concerns, fisheries, state aid rules, and common standards on the environment. The talks are scheduled to resume on September 7 in London. IPC members want to see greater certainty in the post-Brexit commercial relationships between the U.K. and the EU. IPC Contact: Alison James.

UPCOMING EVENTS

COVID-19: Best Practices for Assessing Workplace Risk Webinar: Virtual event, September 9, 2020. This webinar aims to answer some of the most challenging questions employers and employees are facing regarding worker safety and support. IPC will share best practices for assessing workplace risk for COVID-19 and we will provide resources and tools that you can use to help you navigate the current science and policy happenings. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US

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Contact one of us if you have any questions or insights to contribute.

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See prior editions of Global Advocacy Report.

Explore our IPC Government Relations information online.