Dear IPC Members:

I hope you and yours are doing well.

Government policy actions affecting electronics manufacturers kept on coming this week, and there are several new opportunities to speak your mind to policy makers on environment and health issues, trade and supply chain issues, and more.

This newsletter is designed to be skimmed in under five minutes and give you a snapshot of IPC’s top advocacy news. Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions.

All the best,

Chris Mitchell
Vice President, Global Government Relations

The Headlines at a Glance: 

TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK 

• IPC Welcomes the European Chips Act
• EPA Seeking Small Business Input on PFAS Reporting Obligations
• IPC Commends U.S. House Action on Tech and Competitiveness Bill

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

IPC ADVOCACY & YOU

• Which Government Policies Worry You Most?

ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

• Fresh Opportunity to Engage with EPA on TSCA
• Lead Considered for Inclusion on REACH Authorization List
• Are You an Electronics Supplier that Uses the IMDS?
• Share Your Input with European Chemical Regulators

TRADE AND SUPLY CHAIN

• IPC Report Warns U.S. Electronics Manufacturing On “Brink of Extinction”
• U.S. Government Seeks Comment on Chinese Import Restrictions
• High Material and Labor Cost Challenges Remain

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ON SOCIAL MEDIA

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US

TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK

IPC Welcomes the European Chips Act: The European Commission adopted a proposal this week aimed at improving the bloc’s semiconductor and microchip production. The electronics manufacturing industry welcomes the release of the European Chips Act, with its strong support for advanced packaging, and is calling for its swift adoption and implementation as part of a broader strategy to rebuild the European electronics manufacturing ecosystem. IPC Contact: Alison James.

EPA Seeking Small Business Input on PFAS Reporting Obligations: The EPA is currently developing a final rule on reporting and recordkeeping requirements on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and is seeking input to minimize the potential impacts on small businesses that manufacture or import PFAS or products containing PFAS. PFAS has a history of use in electronics, and if your company is a small business that will be impacted by the new final rule, you may nominate yourself to assist in the process. The nomination deadline is next Wednesday, February 16. Let us know if you have any questions. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

IPC Commends U.S. House Action on Tech and Competitiveness Bill: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill late last week, which would, if enacted, appropriate at least $2.5 billion in FY2023 for advanced packaging research and development (R&D). The America COMPETES Act is a companion bill to the U.S. Innovation and Competitiveness Act (USICA), which the U.S. Senate passed in June. IPC supports the bill and its objective of strengthening U.S. technology capabilities. Read more details here. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“To meet the goals of the Chips Act, Europe needs to take a comprehensive approach to bolstering the region’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.”
– IPC President and CEO John Mitchell welcomes the European Chips Act, with a caveat.

IPC ADVOCACY AND YOU

Which Government Policies Worry You Most? As we plan our GR activities for the year, we want to know how the IPC Government Relations team can best advocate for you now and in the future. Cory Steeby of Holland, Michigan recently advised us that “tariffs are an ongoing additional tax on U.S. manufacturing companies,” and “the electronic component and bare PCB supply chains are broken.” Let us know your top concerns via this five-minute, five-question survey. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH

Fresh Opportunity to Engage with EPA on TSCA: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reopened the dockets for the 20 high-priority substances to undergo risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This provides an additional opportunity for the public to submit information that would help inform the risk evaluation processes for these chemicals. The dockets are open until June 9. Please let us know if you are interested in this opportunity to provide information to EPA. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

Lead Included on Draft REACH Authorization List: Lead (Pb) metal is one of eight substances included on the latest draft Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Authorization List. A three-month public consultation by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) began on February 2 and included requests for information on the ECHA’s draft recommendation and the potential socio-economic consequences, respectively. IPC will continue to coordinate with industry stakeholders on communication regarding this regulatory activity. Let us know if you would like to learn more. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

REACH Regulation Under Revision: The European Commission is currently accepting input on broad revisions to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation to better reflect the ambitions set forth in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. The consultation period is open through April 15. If your company is interested in participating in the consultation, please let us know. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.
 

TRADE AND SUPPLY CHAIN

IPC Report Warns U.S. Electronics Manufacturing On “Brink of Extinction”: A recent report from industry veteran Joe O’Neil, a member of IPC’s Thought Leader Program, warns that the United States has lost its historic dominance in printed circuit boards (PCBs), and the lack of any significant U.S. Government support for the sector is leaving the nation dangerously exposed to foreign dominance of the electronics supply chain. The report also says much of what happens on the PCB factory floor should be considered research and development (R&D) and earn tax benefits. Please check out the report and help us spread the word via LinkedIn! IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

U.S. Government Seeks Comment on Chinese Import Restrictions: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently published a Federal Register Notice seeking public comment on legislation implementing new Chinese import restrictions. The legislation, called the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), restricts the importation of Chinese goods that are produced in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) with forced labor. The public comment period has a deadline of March 10, and the new restrictions are set to come into effect on June 21. Let us know if these restrictions would affect your business. IPC Contact: Ken Schramko.

High Material and Labor Cost Challenges Remain: According to the latest data from IPC, supply chain challenges remain acute, but they may have peaked, while lead times remain high. IPC’s February Monthly Economic Update and Global Sentiment Survey reports found that high material and labor costs are expected to continue for at least six months, while recruiting and finding skilled talent continues to be difficult. Let us know if you have any questions. IPC Contact: Shawn DuBravac.

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The U.S. House voted last week to pass the America COMPETES Act, a bill that aims to increase U.S. competitiveness and strengthen the country’s supply chain. IPC supports H.R. 4521, and its objective of boosting U.S. tech capabilities.		IPC's March global sentiment survey is now open. We’d like your input on the current state of the global electronics manufacturing industry to help us measure the “pulse” of our industry. What’s in it for you? A copy of the research results when the survey is completed.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US

Meet the IPC GR Team: Whether it’s engaging with policymakers in Washington, D.C., in the European Union or in China, the IPC Government Relations (GR) Team proactively seeks opportunities to educate, inform and influence policymakers on policies that spur innovation, growth and competition, while protecting human health and the environment. But our success depends on your support and engagement. Learn more and get involved in IPC advocacy today! IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

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.

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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.